Whats the difference: Preterite and Imperfect
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use examples please!
1418 views
updated Dec 14, 2010
posted by sarahkalen
3 Answers
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Imperfect- Things that happened continuously in the past. I used to run. Yo corría
Preterite- In past and definitely completed. I ran Yo corri
updated Dec 15, 2010
posted by sarahkalen
I'll give you a vote. Good job on doing your own research. - Goyo, Dec 14, 2010
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Hi, Try checking the reference section
updated Dec 14, 2010
posted by jdgs
A link would be handy here. - dejongbr, Dec 14, 2010
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Another example:
Juan estaba hablando cuando la maestra entró en la clase.
John was talking when the teacher entered the class.
When something is going on and it is interrupted by an event, the first action is imperfect, while the interrupting event is preterite.
In this sentence, you'd use the imperfect for John talking, (estaba hablando) because he was talking for some unknown period of time before the teacher entered. The teacher entered at a particular point in time. For that you use the preterite (entró).
updated Dec 14, 2010
edited by Goyo
posted by Goyo
