Imperfect vs Preterite! I'm confused.
It's so confusing! I can't figure out when to use which one. Could you guys please help me? Please don't send the SpanishDict link on imperfect tense because I already read it and still don't understand.
4 Answers
Good post Feliz77.
I will add just a couple of things.
Preterite generally is used for "one time" events began and completed in the past.
Imperfect is used for "recurring events" that may have stopped in the past or may be continuing into the present.
My wife and I went to the movies last week.Preterite
We used to go to the movies every week. Imperfect
We used to go to the movies every week but now we rarely go. Imperfect.
Basically speaking, the preterite indicative or simple past is used to indicate an action that has (already) been completed at some time in the past.
ex's:1.(Él) Nació en Colombia = He was born in Colombia.
2.Fuimos al restaurante para celebrar la fiesta de cumpleaños de Susana = We went to the restaurant to celebrate Susanna's birthday party.
3 Mi hermano llegué a casa anoche. = My brother arrived home last night.
The imperfect indicative is used to indicate an action that has not yet been completed and so is used when you want to talk about an action that you were doing /used to do
ex Cuando (yo) era niño íbamos a la playa todos los días. = When I was a child we used to go to the beach every day
It is used to express an action that was going on in the past when another action occurred:
Ex: Mi hermana estaba cantado cuando yo entré. = My sister was singing when I came in (ie: entered the room)
Example above courtesy of Barron's 50 1 Spanish Verbs
It is also used to set the scene for a story:
Ex: Todos nosotros estábamos sentado en la sala (o el salón) hablando cuando, de repente, todas las luces de la casa se apagaron y después alguien llamó a la puerta de la calle.
= We were all (or all of us were) sitting in the lounge (living room) talking, when suddenly all the lights in the house went out and then somebody knocked on the front door.
I hope this will help you to better understand how and when to use the preterite /simple past in contrast to the imperfect indicative. I am not trying to give you a complete answer that will answer every doubt you ever had or might have about this topic, but hopefully, when taken with the other answers you receive will clarify some questions about them.
I hope this helps 
Corrijan mi español, por favor
Another way to think of the imperfect is..."Used to" Not a "specific one time action'
I used to live in Florida. Vivía en Florida. I used to have a little blue car. Tuvia una cochita azul. I used to eat all the time. Comía todo el tiempo.
Preterite is a "One Time, specific beginning and end. Many times the preterit will incorporate the use of "Time Words"
I ate eggs yesterday for breakfast. Comí huevos ayer por desayunar. I went to bed late last night. Acostó tarde anoche.
Here's an explanation on when to use each tense and how to form both tenses and then this is a free ebook that shows the two tenses in action, compared to one another. I hope they're helpful
