What is the difference between imperfect and preterite?
What is an easy way to remember the difference between preterite and imperfect verb forms?
6 Answers
Hi Kenz. You might also check out our Spanish Grammar section on preterit vs. imperfect. Welcome to the forum!
Imperfect - I was.....when they...
Preterite - I did ....yesterday.
Look at my answer on the thread below.
If you use the conjugation tool you can put in an English verb and see what it is in the various tenses. This is a new feature and it's very helpful to me. Maybe that will give you a better idea of how to use them.
There is really no easy way other than memorize. After you memorize the forms, including the ones that don't fit the normal patterns, it will finally seem easier.
Once you realize the endings are basically the same for all AR ending verbs, all ER ending verbs, and all IR ending verbs in either preterite or imperfect, you will be on your way.
Memorize the difference?
I think it would help if you cleared up your question.
Do you mean about memorizing the conjugations, as katydew's answer presumed, or do you mean when to use the imperfect and when to use the preterite, as hecho_en_mexico's answer presumed, or something else?
