USES OF THE PRETERITE AND OF THE IMPERFECT
______Use the PRETERITE...______________
1. ...in a narration, to report completed actions or states
2. ...to indicate a change in mental, physical or emotional state
3. ...when two or more past events are viewed together, to describe the events seen as completed, like points plotted along a timeline. These events stand out as distinct from the background surrounding circumstances.
4. ...to emphasize that the events are seen as completed, when describing recurrent actions or conditions in tha past.
5. ...with certain words and phrases, to indicate specific time frames; the following phrases USUALLY signal the use of the preterite:
ayer (yesterday)
anteayer (the day before yesterday)
anoche (last night)
de repente (all of a sudden)
desde el primer momento (from the first moment)
durante dos siglos (for two centuries)
el otro día (the other day)
en ese momento (at that moment)
entonces (then)
esta mañana (this morning)
esta tarde (this afternoon)
la semana pasada (last week)
el mes pasado (last month)
el año pasado (last year)
hace dos días, años (two days, years ago)
ayer por la mañana (yesterday morning)
ayer por la tarde (yesterday afternoon)
_________Use the IMPERFECT...________________
1. ...when narrating, to give background information.
2. ...to describe a physical, emotional or mental state.
3. ...to describe the setting, the conditions or the actions that were in progress when another event ocurred. This includes telling time in the past.
4. ...to emphasize the habitual or repeated nature of recurrent actions or conditions in the past.
5. ...with certain words and phrases which indicate repetitive, vague or non-specific time frames; the following phrases USUALLY signal the use of the imperfect:
a menudo (often)
a veces (sometimes)
cada día (every day)
cada semana (every week)
cada mes (every month)
cada año (every year)
con frecuencia (frequently)
de vez en cuando (from time to time)
en aquella época (at that time)
frecuentemente (frequently)
generalmente (usually)
muchas veces (many times)
mucho (a lot)
nunca (never)
por un rato (for awhile)
siempre (always)
tantas veces (so many times)
todas las semanas (every week)
todos los días (every day)
todo el tiempo (all the time)
varias veces (several times)
Note: mientras (while) and mientras tanto (meanwhile) also signal the use of the imperfect.
___________________________________
* Some verbs actually change meaning, depending upon whether they are used in the preterite or the imperfect. This is not surprising, since the difference in meaning can be traced back to the different way in which these two past tenses are used.
PRETERITE
conocer
Conocí a Juan hace cinco años.
I met Juan five years ago.
(completed action)
querer
María quiso comprar la casa.
Maria tried to buy the house.
(completed action)
no querer
María no quiso comprar la casa.
Maria refused to buy the house.
(completed action)
saber
María lo supo ayer.
Maria found out yesterday.
(completed action)
poder
María pudo levantar la mesa.
Maria succeeded in lifting the table.
(completed action)
tener
María tuvo una carta de su mamá.
Maria received a letter from her mom.
(completed action)
IMPERFECT
conocer
En aquella época conocíamos muy bien la ciudad.
At that time we knew the city very well.
(no definite beginning or end)
querer
Juan quería comprar la casa.
Juan wanted to buy the house.
(no definite beginning or end)
no querer
Juan no quería comprar la casa.
Juan did not want to buy the house.
(no definite beginning or end)
saber
Juan sabía que María venía.
Juan knew that Maria was coming.
(no definite beginning or end)
poder
Juan podía participar en la manifestación.
Juan was able to participate in the demonstration.
(no definite beginning or end)
tener
Juan tenía un coche nuevo.
Juan used to have a new car.
(no definite beginning or end)
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| Last updated 2008/09/28 06:03:44 PDT | Hits 399 |
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