What's the difference between the imperfect and the preterite?

Question

I have a little trouble differenciating the imperfect and the preterite, and I have a final coming up, and I have to write a paragraph in the imperfect, and so I need to know the difference so I can ace this exam! sooo...if someone could answer quick, please...

Answer 1

Go here and read.

Answer 2

A similar question was asked yesterday, the same info may help you

The preterite (aka Pretérito Indefinido) is used to describe completed actions in the past.

The imperfect is used for ongoing past actions. These actions tend to be interrupted by another action.

I read a good explanation once that likened the two tenses to something being acted out on a stage.

The imperfect sets the stage

'Cuando trabajaba in españa' - 'When i was working in spain'

and the preterite is the action or what happened on that stage

'fui a un concierto' - 'I went to a concert'

This is a good article too:

http://www.learn-spanish-online.de/grammar/chapter7_compound_tenses/7_4_use_perfecto_indefinido_imperfecto.htm

Answer 3

Imperfect: is something that continuosly happened in the past, like for example "I used to read that book when I was little. Meanwhile pretérito is something that happened once: I read that book when I was little

Thank you! - aznmania, May 24, 2010