ayer

yesterday

Preterite vs. Imperfect

Cheat Sheet

PREMIUM

ayer(

yehr

)

An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or other adverbs (e.g. to run quickly, very tired).

adverb

1. (the day before today)

a. yesterday

Me siento mucho mejor hoy que ayer.I feel much better today than yesterday.

A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g. el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).

masculine noun

A word or phrase restricted in usage to literature or established writing (e.g., sex, once upon a time).

(literary)

(recent past)

a. yesteryear

A word or phrase restricted in usage to literature or established writing (e.g., sex, once upon a time).

(literary)

La vida simple del ayer que echamos tanto de menos.The simple life of yesteryear that we miss so much.

ayer

An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or other adverbs (e.g. to run quickly, very tired).

adverb

1. (general)

a. yesterday

ayer por la mañanayesterday morning

ayer (por la) nochelast night

2. (en el pasado)

a. in the past

A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling or idea (e.g. man, dog, house).

Noun

3. (general)

el ayeryesteryear

ayer

adverb

yesterday

repitieron el capítulo de ayer yesterday's episode was repeated; ayer por la mañana yesterday morning; antes de ayer the day before yesterday; ayer eran terroristas, hoy en día comparten el gobierno yesterday they were terrorists, today they are part of the government; ayer mismo (España) ayer mismamente o no más (Latinoamérica) only yesterday

parece que fue ayer it seems like (only) yesterday

de ayer acá o a hoy

no es (cosa) de ayer it's nothing new

no nací ayer I wasn't born yesterday

el ayer yesteryear (literario)

siente nostalgia por el ayer

las canciones del ayer the songs of yesteryear (literario); el Madrid del ayer the Madrid of yesteryear (literario); old Madrid

Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Examples