Spanish grammar
Preterite vs imperfect: the Spanish past tenses explained
English speakers often struggle with the two main Spanish past tenses. Here is the idea that unlocks them: the preterite reports what happened, the events that moved the story forward; the imperfect paints the scene, describing what was going on, what used to happen and what things were like.
The forms in a nutshell
| Person | Preterite (hablar, comer, vivir) | Imperfect (hablar, comer, vivir) |
|---|---|---|
| yo | hablé, comí, viví | hablaba, comía, vivía |
| tú | hablaste, comiste, viviste | hablabas, comías, vivías |
| él / ella / usted | habló, comió, vivió | hablaba, comía, vivía |
| nosotros | hablamos, comimos, vivimos | hablábamos, comíamos, vivíamos |
| ellos / ustedes | hablaron, comieron, vivieron | hablaban, comían, vivían |
The imperfect has only three irregular verbs: ser (era, eras, era, éramos, eran), ir (iba, ibas, iba, íbamos, iban) and ver (veía, veías, veía, veíamos, veían). The preterite has many, such as ser and ir (fui, fuiste, fue, fuimos, fueron), hacer (hice), tener (tuve), estar (estuve), decir (dije), poder (pude) and venir (vine).
Use the preterite for completed events
Choose the preterite when the action is finished and you see it as a single event, even if it lasted a long time, as long as it had a clear beginning or end.
- Ayer comí paella.Yesterday I ate paella.
- El lunes llegué a Quito.On Monday I arrived in Quito.
- Viví en Madrid dos años.I lived in Madrid for two years (and then I left).
- De repente, se apagó la luz.Suddenly, the light went out.
Use the imperfect for background, habits and descriptions
Choose the imperfect for things that were ongoing, repeated or simply the way things were, with no emphasis on when they started or ended.
- Cuando era niño, jugaba al fútbol todos los días.When I was a child, I used to play football every day.
- Hacía frío y llovía.It was cold and it was raining.
- Mi abuela tenía setenta años.My grandmother was seventy years old.
- Mientras yo cocinaba, ella leía.While I was cooking, she was reading.
Trigger words that help you decide
| Often with the preterite | Often with the imperfect |
|---|---|
| ayer, anoche, anteayer | siempre, a menudo, normalmente |
| el lunes, en 2020, aquel día | todos los días, cada verano |
| de repente, una vez, dos veces | mientras, de niño, antes |
| finalmente, entonces | generalmente, con frecuencia |
Tip: Trigger words are a shortcut, not a rule. Always ask whether you are reporting an event or setting the scene.
Using both in the same sentence
Stories need both tenses: the imperfect describes the background and the preterite interrupts it with an event.
- Llovía cuando llegué a casa.It was raining when I got home.
- Dormía cuando sonó el teléfono.I was sleeping when the phone rang.
- Estaba cansada, así que me acosté temprano.I was tired, so I went to bed early.
Verbs that change meaning
| Verb | Preterite | Imperfect |
|---|---|---|
| saber | Supe la verdad. (I found out.) | Sabía la verdad. (I knew it.) |
| conocer | Conocí a Ana. (I met Ana.) | Conocía a Ana. (I knew Ana.) |
| querer | Quise llamarte. (I tried to.) / No quise ir. (I refused.) | Quería llamarte. (I wanted to.) |
| poder | Pude abrirla. (I managed to.) | Podía abrirla. (I was able to.) |
| tener | Tuve una idea. (I had an idea.) | Tenía una idea. (I had one in mind.) |
Quick quiz
Put the verb in brackets in the preterite or the imperfect. The answers are below.
- 1. Ayer (ir, yo) ___ al cine con mis amigos.
- 2. Cuando (ser, yo) ___ pequeño, (vivir) ___ en un pueblo.
- 3. (Llover) ___ mucho cuando (salir, nosotros) ___ de casa.
- 4. El año pasado (viajar, ella) ___ a Perú.
- 5. Todos los veranos (visitar, nosotros) ___ a mis abuelos.
Answers: 1. fui. 2. era, vivía. 3. Llovía, salimos. 4. viajó. 5. visitábamos.
Last updated October 12, 2026.
