Preterito Imperfecto e indefinido

Question

Abrian /Abrieron la puerta y se encontraban / encontraron delante de una bellísima joven.

Can you help me with proper form of tense to be used, please be kind enough to elaborate.

Thanks

Answer 1

This is such a big subject to explain here but I have written a lesson that you might find useful

Pret vs Imp

Also the story captions below might get you started on how the imperfect and preterite past tenses often work together in a narration

Ya, it is very big subject, only practice can make you perfect. It is possible to understand with less dificulty, if you get illustrations for each rule with explanations. Thank you very much for your responses to my various questions. - Pravin_101, May 29, 2012

You're welcome :) - Kiwi-Girl, May 29, 2012

Answer 2

Abrían /Abrieron la puerta y se encontraban / encontraron delante de una bellísima joven.

• Abrían , encontraban - Imperfecto. (for long actions)
• Abrieron , encontraron - Pasado simple. (for short actions)

Yesterday I answered a similar question. In English, Spanish Imperfecto and Pasado simple is the same thing.

Fo example:

They opened the door and found in front of...

Both verbals forms are the same in English (the past), but not in Spanish. When you translate this sentence you have to know if it's a long action or a specific action in the time.

• The action of opening the door is short action, so you have to use Pasado simple = Abrieron.

• The action of finding someone is also a short action, so = Encontraron

Suddenly they found a person (short action).

More examples:

Cuando vivía en Madrid me compré una casa.

Vivía = imperfecto. (long action) Compré = pasado simple (concrete action done in a long action)

When I lived in Madrid I bought a house.

For English "lived" and "bought" are always in past, but not for us.