What is the preterite?

Question

How do you use the preterite for irregular verbs?

Answer 1

The preterite depends on the verb for how to use it. Depends on what you want to say. For example:

I went to the supermarket. Fui al supermercado.

Usually, you use the context just the same. So:

Present: Voy al supermercado. Preterite: Fui al supermercado.

As you can see, they are the same context and the same relationship to the predicate of the sentence.

I hope I helped and good luck.

Answer 2

The preterite (preterit) is the simple (called that because it is not compound, has no auxillary verb) past tense. It is for actions or events that are perfected or completed in the past. It is used for narrating a series of events that occurred in the past and are completed. It contrasts with Spanish's other simple past tense, the imperfect, which is for habitual actions or events continuing into the present. It is used for setting the scene or telling what was going on the the background in a narration.

While we were doing this (imperfect) then this event transpired (preterite).

The preterite is replete with iregular verbs (stem changing). Many have to just be memorized but there are pattern groups.