Preterit or imperfect which is right

Question

1. Muchas personas querieron Ayudar a la familia, pero no sabieron qué hacer. (Querer) and (saber)
2. Era la una de la tarde y llovía mucho cuando el accidente ocurrìa. (Ser) and (llover) and (occurrir)
3. ¿ destió tú el libro de raùl ? (Destruir)

Welcome to the forum. :) - bosquederoble, Apr 4, 2017

Answer 1

1. Muchas personas querieron Ayudar a la familia, pero no sabieron qué hacer. (Querer) and (saber)

No to both your answers

I would use querían and sabían. Use of preterit changes the meaning, querer from were wanting to to in general to more at that moment, saber from were knowing (or not knowing here) to found out. Also no capital for ayudar.

1. Era la una de la tarde y llovía mucho cuando el accidente ocurrìa. (Ser) and (llover) and (occurrir)

Yes to your first two, no to the third.

Era is good (imperfect always with time- it always sets a scene), llovía is good (it was raining), ocurrió – it happened then and there, it wasn’t happening, it is not setting the scene.

1. ¿ destió tú el libro de raùl ? (Destruir)

Yes to preterit (I assume that is what you are trying for) but what you put is not a form of destruir, nor an attempt at the correct one.

This is again a once and done so preterit is right, destió is not a word, and it is tú- so destruiste. Capitalize Raúl.

I am a leaner also so it is always possible I made a mistake.

B: Good job. I wouldn't emphasize the "once and done" too much. Preterite can be several times if it wasn't something done habitually.. Also, the beginning or ending of something. Even verbs like ser and vivir are often in preterite if the person is dead. - DilKen, Apr 5, 2017

My point was not that if it is preterite it is once and done, only that if it is once and done it is preterit. - bosquederoble, Apr 5, 2017

And that is only if it is the main point, if it is once and done but still a background it can be imperfect-while we were havin - bosquederoble, Apr 5, 2017

Having dinner it happened, dinner is once and done, but it would be imperfect as it sets the scene. Sorry I am on a mobile device, it is not easy to control. - bosquederoble, Apr 5, 2017

But it is still why I would pick it in th case that I said it, unless you have a more universal rule for that. - bosquederoble, Apr 5, 2017

de acuerdo que tengas una bueuna noche - DilKen, Apr 5, 2017

Answer 2

To learn more about preterite vs. imperfect in Spanish I'd suggest you search on Youtube for Spanish preterite vs. imperfect . There are loads of good videos.

Then search on Google for Spanish preterite vs imperfect quiz. There are dozens of interactive little tests on the internet.

There are also many web articles you can read.