G A M E Past Tense Practice - Preterite & Imperfect

Question

For those of you who found our last Preterite vs Imperfect game a little too advanced I thought I'd get a new one going and keep it a bit simpler.

Here's a helpful link Pret vs Imp

and some tips: (caveat emptor: bear in mind there are always exceptions and these are just basic guidelines to get you started - nothing replaces listening and reading as the best way to learn when and where to use these tenses! )

Preterite:

Specific time/duration.

Stressing the beginning/end of an action.

Narrating a sequence of completed actions/events.

Describing sudden changes in physical states or emotions.

Narrating an action that interrupts another ongoing action.

Imperfect:

Physical states (not changes).

Describing intrinsic characteristics of places, things and conditions in the past.

For ongoing actions (not completed).

Recurring and habitual actions.

Background/Setting the Scene

The weather or time in the past when other event occurred.

How to play:

Translate the given sentence into Spanish using the correct preterite or imperfect verb forms.

Post one new fairly simple sentence in English that includes at least one verb in the past.

If it runs like a story that's great fun but if not, no worries.

The thread should look like this:

GIven:

Translated:

New Sentence:

I'll start us off:

New Sentence: Who broke the cup?

Great! - --Mariana--, Nov 29, 2010

:) - Kiwi-Girl, Nov 29, 2010

Answer 1

Given: We always ate in restaurants that used tablecloths because we felt more secure.

Translation: Siempre comíamos en restaurantes que usan manteles porque nos sentíamos más seguros.

New sentence: That's true - we threw the tablecloth at the burglar, he then fell down, dropped the keys, and some green lizard grabbed them and ran off.

Would the verb 'notar' have worked in that sentence? - sentir seemed safe - I was just wondering if notar would have fit... - 001a2987, Apr 17, 2011

No, notar would not work there at all (to notice? - what?). You don't need "los" there, in either place. Reflexive for sentir. :-) - Gekkosan, Apr 17, 2011

Thanks Gekko!! :) - 001a2987, Apr 17, 2011

Más seguros. Good! - Gekkosan, Apr 17, 2011

lol- Gracias!! - 001a2987, Apr 17, 2011

Answer 2

Given:Yesterday my sister was telling me what a good time she had at the party.

Translation: Ayer mi hermana me contaba sobre lo bien que lo pasó en la fiesta.

New sentence.

I was studying Spanish while my parents were watching television.

Ok Sandy although your sentence makes perfect sense I would use 'decía' in the imperfect because the English said 'was telling me' - although I said yesterday, pinpointing it, was telling is an ongoing action at that time, it's not completed. We'll see - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 9, 2011

what Gekko says but that's my take :) - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 9, 2011

You are right, Kiwi. I wouldn't do a literal translation of the original sentence, because it does not sound natural in Spanish. I might say: "Ayer mi hermana me contaba sobre lo bien que lo pasó en la fiesta". - Gekkosan, Apr 9, 2011

Excelente, gracias :) - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 9, 2011

I thought I would write this in my diary under yesterday...but because she was telling me does that mean she hasn't finished telling me about it?? What..did she stop in the middle of a sentence... - sanlee, Apr 9, 2011

no but don't over think it - have you mentioned it focusing on an ending or using words that show she had finished or do your words just take us to that time when something was in progress? In this case it's the second one :) - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 10, 2011

it's just the difference between 'telling' and 'told' :) - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 10, 2011

Ok, Telling, she hasn't finished yet. That makes sense. Thanks, Kiwi! - sanlee, Apr 10, 2011

I am not giving up. I will do sentences all day long - sanlee, Apr 10, 2011

Thanks for all the help - sanlee, Apr 18, 2011

Answer 3

Given: That's true - we threw the tablecloth at the burglar, he then fell down, dropped the keys, and some green lizard grabbed them and ran off.

Translation: Eso es. Le tiramos el mantel al ladrón quien se cayó y dejó caer las llaves. Entonces una lagartija verde se fue con ellas.

New sentence: I don't know if security caught him or not but he was very evasive as he ran around chair legs, table legs, and human feet on his way out of the dining room with my keys.

This is fine. It would be better with "le tiramos". And "una" instead of "alguna". Very nice job! - Gekkosan, Apr 17, 2011

I am touched by the accurate description of the lizard's cunning and agility. :-) - Gekkosan, Apr 17, 2011

:) - Sabor, Apr 17, 2011

And thank you. - Sabor, Apr 17, 2011

Answer 4

Given: Why didn't you lock the door on your way out?

Translation: ¿Por qué no cerraste la puerta al salir de la casa?

New Sentence: I didn't lock the door because I lost my keys a long time ago.

Ok, pretty good; however, can you find a different way to write "on your way out"? The literal translation does not work in Spanish. :) - Gekkosan, Apr 15, 2011

Hmmm....I almost tried this when I first answered, but I wasn't quite sure which way to go....is this better? - 001a2987, Apr 15, 2011

Better. I would say: "¿Por qué no cerraste la puerta al salir (de la casa)?" - Gekkosan, Apr 16, 2011

Answer 5

Teníamos en mente ir a la fiesta, pero se descompuso el auto.

New sentence: I thought about going on vacation to Spain but the tickets were to expensive.

Hello Reyinita. Nice job. However, please make sure to check the "Newest" tab before playing, and respond to the latest post. In this case, you should have translated Sabor's sentence "Why didn't you lock..." - Gekkosan, Apr 15, 2011

You don't need the "de". Just: "Teníamos en mente ir a la fiesta..." - Gekkosan, Apr 15, 2011

Answer 6

Given: Why didn't you guys turn the lights off when you left the house?

Translation: ¿Porqué no apagaron las luces cuando salieron de la casa?

New Sentence: Why didn't you lock the door on your way out?

The reflexive does not work here, Sabor. What you wrote means: "Why didn't the lights go off (by themselves) on you when you left the house?" - Gekkosan, Apr 15, 2011

Uh oh! - Sabor, Apr 15, 2011

Very good now. You just don't need the "ustedes" there at all. Nice recovery! - Gekkosan, Apr 15, 2011

Thanks, Gekko - Sabor, Apr 16, 2011

Answer 7

Given: I really enjoyed the movie last night. Did you?

Translation Disfruté mucho de la película anoche, ¿y tú?

New Sentence: I wanted four hamburgers, but they only gave me two...

Ok but there's a simpler way to say it: "Disfrute mucho de la película anoche, ¿y tú? - Gekkosan, Apr 14, 2011

Gracias Gekko!! - 001a2987, Apr 14, 2011

Answer 8

Given: I wanted four hamburgers, but they only gave me two...

Translation: Quería cuatro hamburguesas pero solamente me dieron dos.

New Sentence: Chris ordered them with pickle and ketchup but they were served with mustard and onion.

lol - 001a2987, Apr 14, 2011

Perfect! - Gekkosan, Apr 14, 2011

Thanks, Gekko., :), Chris. - Sabor, Apr 14, 2011

Answer 9

Given: When I got old I only ate soup and soft food.

Translated: Cuándo envejecí solo comía sopa y comida suave.

New Sentence: I really enjoyed the movie last night. Did you?

Ah, now, this is a very tricky one! If we think about it, this sentence doesn't really make logical sense either in English or Spanish,unless you are some sort of Benjamin Button. - Gekkosan, Apr 13, 2011

tell me about it! I couldn't see anyother way of saying it than from the perspective of someone now enjoying rejuvenated life ja ja - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 13, 2011

What about "When I got old I moved here to this retirement community"? - Sabor, Apr 14, 2011

Well, you *could* say: "Once I became old, I could only eat soup and soft food" - Gekkosan, Apr 14, 2011

The problem is that you cannot really put "I got old" in the past, because logically you only get older. You could only write that way if you were young again, maybe in your next life, speaking about your past one. - Gekkosan, Apr 14, 2011

Answer 10

Given: I was always happy that we were able to do the job that they couldn't do.

Translated: Siempre estaba feliz de que hubieramos sido capaces de hacer el trabajo que ellos no podían hacer.

or

Siempre estaba feliz de que pudiéramos hacer el trabajo que ellos no podían hacer.

(I put the first one to avoid using poder twice right after each other, ah well time to end the run of getting them right I suppose, it was nice while it lasted lol)

New Sentence:

Gekko was muttering under his breath wondering how long these people would keep practicing this thread.

and as far as the subjunctive goes - is I and we enough of a subject change, did it have to be subj? should it be subjunctive at all? ah the doubts the doubts!! je je - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 11, 2011

Actual Gekko is being rather vocal about It, you just can't hear! :-p. :) - Gekkosan, Apr 11, 2011

Me puedo imaginar! Pero es bueno pensar en el bien común, tan altruismo es muy raro en estes días. ;p - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 11, 2011

I need to ask you all to please be patient for a few hours. I don't have my computer at hand, and this site is not very iPhone-friendly. I'll write comments and corrections in about 12 hours. Thanks! - Gekkosan, Apr 11, 2011

¿Me patient? You must have the wrong girl! Just kidding, of course we can be patient, thank you so much for being prepared to help have a lovely day :) - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 11, 2011

Ok, this is a somewhat complicated sentence. I am not even sure I fully understand the original English out of context - I find it a bit ambiguous. - Gekkosan, Apr 12, 2011

without further context, I'd translate this as: "Siempre me contentó que podíamos hacer el trabajo que ellos no podían (hacer)." - Gekkosan, Apr 12, 2011

Sorry Gekko - this was sort of a complicated sentece, and it was meant to be void of any detail.... - 001a2987, Apr 12, 2011

You think this sentence is complicated? You should see the next one! - sanlee, Apr 12, 2011

@ Indiana: That's the thing Indi: sometimes out-of-context sentences, "void of any detail" are very hard to translate, precisely because they can be rather ambiguous. :-) - Gekkosan, Apr 12, 2011

Thanks Gekko, and THANKS Chris, just kidding, it was a toughie :) - Sorry Sandy lol - I wasn't even thinking how that was going to be translated :) - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 12, 2011

Answer 11

New sentence: I wanted to go to the movies with my friend yesterday, but I had to clean my room.

Translation: Quería ir al cine ayer con mi amigo pero tenía que limpiar mi habitación.

I was taking out my parents' garbage when it started to rain.

Good job! - Gekkosan, Apr 12, 2011

woo hoo Sandy, perfecto! - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 12, 2011

Answer 12

Given: I told you that I visited my parents every Sunday and took out their trash.

Translation: Te dije que visitaba a mis padres cada domingo y sacaba su basura.

New Sentence: I was always happy that we were able to do the job that they couldn't do.

remember the personal 'a' :) - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 11, 2011

Thank you very much MC!! I have no idea why I can never remember that... - 001a2987, Apr 11, 2011

el placer is mío :) - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 11, 2011

Answer 13

Given: We planned to go to the party, but the car didn't start.

Translation: Planeabamos (although planeamos would work too no?) ir a la fiesta pero el coche no arrancó

New sentence: I had a collection of butterflies when I was 10 but I threw it away last week.

No, planeamos doesn't quite work here, because the planned action never actually took place. - Gekkosan, Apr 12, 2011

Answer 14

Given sentence: I met my best friend in Bible class when she was teaching a lesson.

Translation: Conocí a mi mejor amigo en la clase de Biblia cuando ella enseñaba una lección.

New sentence: I wanted to go to the movies with my friend yesterday but I had to clean up my room first.

Is This friend a "he" or a "she" then? :) - Gekkosan, Apr 11, 2011

The friend is a lizard. :) - pesta, Apr 11, 2011

So? Lizard's ain't hermaphrodites, you know! :-P - Gekkosan, Apr 12, 2011

So "amigo" must match the gender of "el/ella", ragardless of the degree of kinkiness of said friend. - Gekkosan, Apr 12, 2011

Answer 15

Given: Last night I dreamt that I am dead!!

Translation: ¡Anoche soné que estaba muerto! (Y el sueño fue un poco aburrido )

New Sentence: I used to think that I could fly until I tried to jump off my house....

Nice! - Gekkosan, Apr 10, 2011

:) - 001a2987, Apr 10, 2011

was dead :) - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 11, 2011

I figured that should be obvious (was dead). - Gekkosan, Apr 12, 2011