understanding Perterit and Imperfecto

Question

I would like to become more familiar with imperfect and preterit. I need to know when do I use preterit and imperfect.

Thank you.

Vernette

Welcome to the forum , we want to help you so fill out your profile If you have a problem PM a mod Bienvenido al foro. Queremos ayudarle, entonces hay que llenar su perfil. Si hay un problema, envíe un mensaje personal (PM) - ray76, Jun 7, 2015

Click on menu above follow prompts to grammar. - ray76, Jun 8, 2015

Hi Ray I didn't read your post first, otherwise I would not have given my answer. - Daniela2041, Jun 8, 2015

Thank you vern for filling out your profile , that is worth a vote from me mate . - ray76, Jun 8, 2015

Answer 1

Welcome to SpanishDict.

preterite tense forms New Link

Preterite vs Imperfect: Part I

; ) - ray76, Jun 8, 2015

Gracias, Amber. - Daniela2041, Jun 8, 2015

I just checked the links, the top one (for Dummies) was written by a dummy. He put the wrong ending on the preterite. The next one is better. - Daniela2041, Jun 8, 2015

Oh wonderful....live and learn. Thanks Dani. ♥ - rac1, Jun 8, 2015

Answer 2

The way it was explained in the Michel Thomas course, which has helped me a lot, was to think of time as either a dot or a line. The line can be continuous or broken.

If you are speaking about a dot in time, you'd use the preterite, or the "simple past" as MT calls it. Examples: "He called me yesterday" - dot - preterite

"I washed the floor an hour ago" - dot - preterite

"She slapped me" - dot - preterite (Not that any woman has ever slapped me. )

If you are speaking about a line of time, continuous or broken, use the imperfect. Examples: "I used to work in New Orleans." - continuous line - imperfect

"I called my Mom every day." - broken line - imperfect

"I was washing the floor when she slapped me." - short continuous line - imperfect (Never was good at washing floors. )

This is a great start Winkfish, but it is just the beginning of the beginning. - Daniela2041, Jun 8, 2015

This is great!!!! Definitely helped me a lot I will be copy and pasting this into my notes!!! - yoyarn87, Jun 27, 2016

Answer 3

This is a very complex matter. It usually takes up several chapters in a textbook. I know. I teach Spanish at the college level.

Stick around and keep coming back to check out your post here. We have several people around here that can put up links to this subject which will put you on the right track.

Rac1 and Sanlee are two of our resident "linkee" experts and will most likely help you.

No probs lovely girl, and she has filled out her profile now. - ray76, Jun 8, 2015

Gracias, Ramón de OZ. ♥♥ - Daniela2041, Jun 8, 2015