Today's " Preterit or Imperfect" "Saber"

Question

Hola, y bienvenido al foro abiert de Español en SpanishDict.com. Hello, and welcome to the open forum at SpanishDict.com

As you already know, English has 7 tenses and Spanish has 13.

Today we will examine the preterite and imperfect Spanish tenses.

I will select the verb that we will use.

I will tell you its verb meaning…in general.

I will also give you the verbs conjugations.

You will need to select one of the conjugations and use it in a sentence.

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Example : “ Saber”- ‘to know’ - Yo no lo sabía. ( I didn’t know )

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Please answer in Spanish and English. Please use ‘clip art” if you have it.

And please…enjoy yourself.

Como ya lo sabes, el inglés tiene 7 tiempos y español tiene 13.

Hoy examinaremos los tiempos pretérito e imperfecto de español.

Seleccionaré el verbo que utilizaremos.

Les diré la significación del verbo…por lo general.

También les daré las conjugaciones del verbo.

Tendrán que seleccionar una de las conjugaciones y utilizarla en una frase.

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Por ejemplo : “to know” – ‘ Saber ‘ - I didn’t know. ( Yo no lo sabía )

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Por favor conteste en español y en inglés. Por favor use ‘el arte de clip” si usted lo tiene. Y por favor … ¡ diviértanse!

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El verbo será ; “to receive” ‘ Recibir ‘

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The verb will be ; “ Recibir” ‘ to receive ‘

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El preterito –

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supe, supiste, supo, supimos, supisteis, supieron

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El imperfecto –

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sabía, sabías, sabía, sabíamos, sabíais, sabían

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Choose one conjugation and use it in a sentence. Escojan una conjugación y utilícenla en una fraze.

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“ Saber ” ‘ to know ‘

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Escríbamela en inglés y español...por favor. Write it for me in English and Spanish please. ¡Incluyan caudros/dibujos…cuando los prefieran! Include pictures/drawings…when you prefer them!

Gracias, Viejito! :)) - iana01, Sep 1, 2012

Answer 1

Aunque no sabía si fuera posible tocar el tambor sin avisarle a todo mundo. Me compré una y inicié la aventura!

Even though i didn´t know if it was possible to play the drums without letting the whole world know. I bought a set and started my adventure!

Because the word “batería” is now so widely used as a “battery” I might have opted for “el tambor”. - just a /suggestion/idea/opinion. Worth a vote, thanks ☺ - viejito, Sep 1, 2012

I'm thinking of buying a djembe drum. By the way, what is your native language? - JoyceM, Sep 2, 2012

French. - Ox-Y-Gen, Sep 2, 2012

Answer 2

Cuando supe que la universidad me había aceptado, saltaba y daba brincos por todos lados, porque estaba tan alegre.

When I found out the university had accepted me, I I jumped and skipped all over the place, I was so happy.

Few things like a good old "jumping session: LoL :) - viejito, Sep 1, 2012

Answer 3

There were many things that we didn't know for a long time, but then when I knew it, I could do something about it.

Había muchas cosas que no sabíamos por un tiempo largo, pero entonces, cuando lo supe, podría hacer algo al respecto.

I know what you mean. - JoyceM, Sep 2, 2012

Look, our sentences have many similarities. LoL. Mine, just an option/nothing more. “Por un tiempo largo había muchas cosas que no sabíamos. Pero entonces, cuando lo supe, yo podría hacer algo al respecto.” Worth a vote, Thanks, ☺ - viejito, Sep 2, 2012

Answer 4

Durante dos años, mi marido no sabía nada acerca de la existéncia de mi ex-novio, pero el sábado pasado se dio cuenta de lo que había pasado . Ya tengo un ex-novio y un ex-marido también.

For two years my husband didn't know anything about my ex-boyfriend, not even that he existed, but last saturday he discovered what had been going on. Now I have an ex- boyfriend and an ex-husband as well.

(se dio cuenta) is more like (realized) . (había pasado) is more like (had happened) then (what had been going on), althgh (it) can be strecthed to mean (what had been going on). - viejito, Aug 31, 2012

I like your sentence, Thanks, worth a vote. However, the translation doesn’t entirely match your English. Plus, in this scenario, the idea is more important then the wording. That’s why the wording is so hard (the idea). I would suggest perhaps ; - viejito, Aug 31, 2012

Durante dos años, mi marido no sabía nada acerca de mi ex-novio, ni de su existencia. Pero, el sábado pasado descubrió lo que estaba pasando. Ahora tengo un ex-novio y un ex- marido. “Just an opinion” ☺ - viejito, Aug 31, 2012

Thanks viejo, acerca is much better! I'll improve it. - annierats, Sep 1, 2012

Annie, thanks for the sentence, which is more interesting than most soap operas. I hope it is just a sentence and isn't true. But I have to ask, "Is it?" - JoyceM, Sep 2, 2012

Answer 5

I bet you didn't know that every time you lick a stamp, you comsume 1/10 of a calorie.

Apuesto a que no sabías que cada vez que lames un sello, consumes 1/10 de una caloría.

Since (lamer) is being used in the “present subjunctive” I probably would have given uniformity to the sentence by keeping it pesent tense. “ I bet you don’t know…” – just an idea/suggestion/opinion. Nice sentence, worth the vote - ☺ - viejito, Sep 1, 2012

Answer 6

Aunque sabías que yo te había hablado cada día, no sabías que yo te amaba tanto de verdad.

Although you knew that I talked to you everyday, you didn't know that I really loved you so much.

(To you ) and (with you) …in Spanish are not one and the same. (Conocer) is to know, but…more like to be familiar with. I might have said, “Aunque sabías que yo te había hablado cada día, no sabías que yo te amaba tanto.” - viejito, Aug 31, 2012

Just an opinion/suggestion. Thanks, worth a vote. ☺ - viejito, Aug 31, 2012

Muchas gracias a vos, Viejito, por conocimiento nuevo. Espero recibir más correcciones tuyas - Fidalgo, Aug 31, 2012

Answer 7

First try: Supe la repuesta a la primera pregunta en el examen.

Correction: Yo sabía la repuesta a la primera pregunta en el examen.

I knew the answer to the first question on the test.

( Saber – supe ) in the preterite means- found out. In Spanish, you find out only once, after which, you knew (sabía). Our SpanishDict translator doesn’t seem to know this. LoL. - viejito, Sep 2, 2012

Yo sabía la repuesta a la primera pregunta en el examen. De veras. ¿Cuándo lo supiste? “I knew the answer to the first question on the test. Really. When did you know (as in “find out”). Worth the vote, Thanks ☺ - viejito, Sep 2, 2012

Answer 8

She did not know that the movie had started already.

No sabía que la película ya había empezado.

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They did not know he was invisble all the time on Skype.

Ellos no sabían que estaba invisible en el Skype todo el tiempo.

The “preterite” of “saber” is “found out” So, you have to stay with “sabía” I might have said, “ Ella no sabía que la película ya había…. She didn’t know… and, “Ellos (no) sabían…. Just my opinions/suggestions, thanks, worth the vote. ☺ - viejito, Sep 1, 2012

"She did not know... - katydew, Sep 2, 2012

Gracias, Viejito! - iana01, Sep 2, 2012

Answer 9

Sabía algo español ... pero estaba perezoso, y no practicaba.

I use to know some Spanish ... but I was lazy and didn't practice.

:) - viejito, Sep 1, 2012

Welcome to the forum! Bienvenidos al foro! - JoyceM, Sep 2, 2012