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Preterite -ar verb conjugation
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Imperfect -ar verb conjugation
- aba
- abas
- aba
- ábamos
- abais
- aban
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Preterite generally is used for actions in the past that are seen as completed.
Use of preterite tense implies that past action had a definite beginning and end.
- Juan habló de la una hasta las dos.
- Juan spoke from one until two o'clock.
- (clearly stated beginning and end)
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Preterite may not have the beginning and end clearly stated.
- Juan habló dos horas.
- Juan spoke for two hours.
- (implied beginning and end)
- Juan habló con la estudiante.
- Juan spoke with the student.
- (implied beginning and end)
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Imperfect is used for actions in the past that are not seen
as completed. Imperfect tense implies that past did not
have a definite beginning or a definite end.
- Las chicas hablaban en inglés.
- The girls used to speak in English.
- (no definite beginning or end)
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Preterite conjugation -er and -ir verbs
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Preterite is used for action that can be viewed as single events.
- Ella caminó por el parque.
- She walked through the park.
- Ellos llegaron a las ocho.
- They arrived at eight o'clock.
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Preterite is used for actions that were repeated a specific number of times,
or occurred during a specific period of time.
- Ayer escribí tres cartas.
- Yesterday I wrote three letters.
- Vivimos allí por cuatro años.
- We lived there for four years.
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Preterite is used for actions that were part of a chain of events.
- Ella se levantó, se visitió, y salió de la casa.
- She got up, dressed, and left the house.
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Preterite is used to state the beginning or the end of an action.
- Empezó a nevar a las ocho de la mañana.
- It began to snow at eight in the morning.
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Imperfect conjugation -er and -ir verbs.
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Imperfect is used for actions that were repeated habitually.
- Almorzábamos juntos todos los días.
- We would lunch together every day.
- Las señoras siempre charlaban por las mañanas.
- The ladies would always chat in the mornings.
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Imperfect is used for actions that "set the stage" for another action.
- Yo leía cuando entró mi papá.
- I was reading when my papa entered.
- (note that "entered" is preterite)
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Imperfect is used for telling time and stating one's age.
- Eran las siete de la noche.
- It was seven o'clock at night.
- La niña tenía cinco años.
- The little girl was five years old.
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Preterit irregular ser.
- fui
- fuiste
- fue
- fuimos
- fuisteis
- fueron
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Preterite irregular verb ir.
- fui
- fuiste
- fue
- fuimos
- fuisteis
- fueron
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Preterite irregular verb dar.
- di
- diste
- dio
- dimos
- disteis
- dieron
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Preterite irregular verb hacer.
- hice
- hiciste
- hizo
- hicimos
- hicisteis
- hicieron
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Imperfect irregular verb ser
- era
- eras
- era
- éramos
- erais
- eran
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Imperfect irregular verb ir
- iba
- ibas
- iba
- íbamos
- ibais
- iban
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Imperfect irregular verb ver
- veía
- veías
- veía
- veíamos
- veíais
- veían
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Imperfect is used for
- Actions that were repeated habitually
- Actions that "set the stage" for another action
- Telling time and stating one's age
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Preterite is used for
- Actions that can be viewed as single events
- Actions that were repeated a specific number of times
- Actions that occurred during a specific period of time
- Actions that were part of a chain of events
- State the beginning or the end of an action
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ayer
- yesterday
- specific
- Preterite
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anteayer
- the day before yesterday
- specific
- Preterite
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anoche
- last night
- specific
- Preterite
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desde el primer momento
- from the first moment
- specific
- Preterite
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el otro dia
- the other day
- specific
- Pretirite
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en ese momento
- at that moment
- specific
- Preterite
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esta mañana
- this morning
- specific
- Preterite
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esta tarde
- this afternoon
- specific
- Preterite
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la semana pasada
- last week
- specific
- Preterite
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el mes pasada
- last month
- specific
- Preterite
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hace dos dias, años
- two days ago, years ago
- specific
- Preterite
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ayer por la mañana
- yesterday morning
- specific
- Preterite
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ayer por la tarde
- yesterday afternoon
- specific
- Preterite
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a menudo
- often
- repetitive
- non-specific
- Imperfect
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a veces
- sometimes
- vague
- non-specific
- Imperfect
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cada dia
- every day
- repetitive
- Imperfect
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cada semana
- every week
- repetitive
- Imperfect
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con frecuencia
- frequently
- non-specific
- Imperfect
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de vez en cuando
- from time to time
- vague non-specific
- Imperfect
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en aquella época
- at that time
- vague non-specific
- Imperfect
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frecuentemente
- frequently
- repetitive non-specific
- Imperfect
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mucho
- a lot
- repetitive non-specific
- Imperfect
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nunca
- never
- repetitive
- Imperfect
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por un rato
- for awhile
- non-specific
- Imperfect
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siempre
- always
- repetitive
- Imperfect
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tantas veces
- so many times
- repetitive
- Imperfect
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todas las semanas
- every week
- repetitive
- Imperfect
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varias veces
- several times
- non-specific
- Imperfect
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