peterite and imperfect, when to use

Question

Can you please explain the difference as to when I should use the simple past/preterite and when I should use the imperfect in the same sentence?

Answer 1

The short answer is that the preterit is used to describe an action that started and ended at a specific point in the past ("I ran to the store last night" - "Corrí a la tienda anoche"). Imperfect is used to describe an action that happened at some point in the past ("I ran a lot when I was younger" - "Corría mucho cuando estuve más joven."). There are many more criteria. Here are links to the Reference sections from this site.

Imperfect

Preterit

Answer 2

One trick to remember is that time and age are always in the imperfect when speaking of the past.

Cuando era una niña (When I was a girl)

Cuando tenía dos años (When I was two years old)

Eran las dos y media (It was 2:30)

Marianne..it should be "it was 2:30" You forgot your "t" :) - mamasita_s, Apr 29, 2010

Thanks, Mamasita :-) - --Mariana--, Apr 29, 2010