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"Pretérito indefinido" is a noun which is often translated as "simple past", and "pretérito" is a noun which is often translated as "preterite". Learn more about the difference between "pretérito indefinido" and "pretérito" below.
el pretérito indefinido(
preh
-
teh
-
ree
-
toh
 
een
-
deh
-
fee
-
nee
-
doh
)
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
masculine noun
a. simple past
El pretérito indefinido se usa para expresar acciones acabadas en el pasado.The simple past is used to express actions completed in the past.
b. preterite
"Fui" es la primera persona del pretérito indefinido de los verbos "ir" y "ser"."Fui" is the first person of the preterite of the verbs "ir" and "ser."
c. past tense
El ejercicio consiste en poner estos infinitivos en pretérito indefinido.The exercise involves putting these infinitives in the past tense.
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el pretérito(
preh
-
teh
-
ree
-
toh
)
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
masculine noun
a. preterite
"Yo bailo" está en presente; "yo bailé" está en pretérito."I dance" is in the present; "I danced" is in the preterite.
b. past
En un ejercicio del examen de español, teníamos que poner los verbos en pretérito.We had to put the verbs in the past in an exercise on the Spanish exam.
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
adjective
a. past
La gente siempre recuerda las épocas pretéritas como épocas mejores.People always remember past times as better times.
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