Post by account_disabled on Mar 8, 2024 22:31:08 GMT -6
The rules for when you use each one are not too terribly complicated. There are several different rules for using preterite versus imperfect Spanish tenses. The main rule covered here involves the time frame involved. When to Use the Spanish Preterite and Imperfect Tenses . Preterite Pretrito The preterite tense is used when the action in the past was finite happened only once andor had a specific ending time. Usage examples Viv en Argentina por aos. I lived in Argentina for years. The reason you use viv preterite instead of viva imperfect is because the specific time period of years marks an ending point. Fui a Nueva York.
I went to New York. trip. You went to New York that one Italy Mobile Number List time not habitually. Imperfect Imperfecto The imperfect is used for continuous or habitual actions in the past. I am going to use the previous examples and show when you might use the imperfect instead of the preterite. Usage examples Durante mi niez viva en Argentina. During my childhood I lived in Argentina. In this case the key phrase is durante mi niez which means you are referring to your entire childhood. You lived in Argentina for your entire childhood not a set amount of time. Siempre iba a Nueva York.
I always used to go to New York Once again you have a key word siempre which means always that lets you know that this was a habitual action not just a single trip thus calls for the imperfect. . Combination Sentences Some sentences will require both past tense forms. This happens in storytelling situations as you are often describing an action to set a scene imperfect and then something happens to interrupt it preterite. Usage examples Estaba cenando cuando mi amigo lleg. I was eating dinner when my friend arrived. In this case the eating action.
I went to New York. trip. You went to New York that one Italy Mobile Number List time not habitually. Imperfect Imperfecto The imperfect is used for continuous or habitual actions in the past. I am going to use the previous examples and show when you might use the imperfect instead of the preterite. Usage examples Durante mi niez viva en Argentina. During my childhood I lived in Argentina. In this case the key phrase is durante mi niez which means you are referring to your entire childhood. You lived in Argentina for your entire childhood not a set amount of time. Siempre iba a Nueva York.
I always used to go to New York Once again you have a key word siempre which means always that lets you know that this was a habitual action not just a single trip thus calls for the imperfect. . Combination Sentences Some sentences will require both past tense forms. This happens in storytelling situations as you are often describing an action to set a scene imperfect and then something happens to interrupt it preterite. Usage examples Estaba cenando cuando mi amigo lleg. I was eating dinner when my friend arrived. In this case the eating action.