When to use the Preterito vs. Imperfect tense.
I have a spanish exam tomorrow, and i am still having trouble deciding which past tense to use: Preterito vs. Imperfect. I do know the difference between the two. Preterito: completed action. Imperfect: not a completed action. Although its hard deciding what is considered a completed action vs. uncompleted. For example, if you are talking about a past camping trip and you are saying my mom cooked hot dogs. Would that be considered a completed action? Also what about: My family went on a hike?? I am a little confused and go back and forth on whether to use Preterito or Imperfect.
2 Answers
This was my problem about 3 or 4 weeks ago.
Preterit and Imperfect is SO hard to learn. I had such a hard time with it.
This is my thought process: Imagine a timeline. If you can place a "past action" on the time line with a single dot or point,use the preterit. If you need something more than a dot (persay a line or an expanded dot) use the imperfect.
My mom cooked hot dogs. Mi madre cocinó perritos calientes. You can put this on the timeline with a single point.
My mom was cooking hot dogs. Mi madre cocinaba perritos calientes. You need a "bar" or an extended dot or point to sucessfully put this on a timeline.
My family went hiking. Mi familia fue de excursion. You can put this on the timeline with a single point.
My family was going on a hike. Mi familia iba de excursion. Yu need a longer point to fully express this statement.
Also, when describing "how something was" in the past, use imperfect. (emotions, feelings, ect.)
I was sad. Estaba triste. You need an extended "bar" or extended point to sucessfuly relay this feeling, because we don't quite know how long i was sad for.
Remember that the past progressive is always used in the imperfect (things that end in -ing)
I was eating. Yo estaba comiendo. OR Yo comía.
Hope this helps!
The key thing is to remember that when you say "Preterito: completed action. Imperfect: not a completed action" you have to keep in mind that both instances are placed in the past and that both are by now gone. When you say "not a completed action" you have to take into consideration that it was going on at sometime in the past and that it might or not been completed by now.
Am I making sense?
