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Flip to reveal answersel pretérito (función)
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All 14 Flashcards — Preterite vs Imperfect
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Question
el pretérito (función)
Answer
completed events: what happened, a single action, a sequence
Question
el imperfecto (función)
Answer
background: description, habits, what was going on
Question
comer: comí vs comía
Answer
comí = I ate (once, finished — preterite); comía = I used to eat / I was eating (imperfect)
Question
ir: fui vs iba
Answer
fui = I went (once — preterite); iba = I used to go / I was going (imperfect)
Question
marcadores → pretérito
Answer
ayer, de repente, una vez, el lunes (single, dated, finished moment)
Question
marcadores → imperfecto
Answer
siempre, normalmente, todos los días, mientras (repetition or ongoing scene)
Question
Mientras comía, sonó el teléfono
Answer
ongoing action (imperfect comía) + the single event that interrupts (preterite sonó)
Question
edad en el pasado
Answer
imperfecto: «tenía ocho años» (I was eight) — never the preterite «tuve»
Question
clima en el pasado (trasfondo)
Answer
imperfecto: «hacía frío / llovía» (it was cold / it was raining) as background
Question
la hora en el pasado
Answer
imperfecto: «eran las tres» (it was three o'clock) — never «fueron las tres»
Question
How do you decide preterite or imperfect?
Answer
Ask: the action that happened (preterite) or the scene/background around it (imperfect)?
Question
Which tense interrupts the other?
Answer
The preterite (single event) interrupts the imperfect (ongoing action): «Mientras leía, llamaron a la puerta.»
Question
Age, time and weather in the past — which tense?
Answer
The imperfect: tenía ocho años, eran las tres, hacía frío — these describe the past scene.
Question
Most common preterite/imperfect mistakes?
Answer
Using the preterite for description/age/weather, and using the imperfect for a one-off completed event.
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Full study notes for Preterite vs Imperfect
Topic 3.2 hub
Past tenses
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Spanish B exam skills
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