Preterite vs Imperfect
The short answer
The Spanish preterite (pretérito indefinido) and imperfect (pretérito imperfecto) both describe the past but function differently. The preterite narrates completed, bounded actions with a clear start and end — "Ayer comí una pizza" (Yesterday I ate a pizza). The imperfect describes ongoing background states, habitual past actions, and scenes in progress — "Comía pizza todos los viernes" (I used to eat pizza every Friday) or "Llovía cuando salí" (It was raining when I left).
Choosing between the preterite and imperfect is the single most important grammar skill for telling stories in Spanish. Think of it as a film: the imperfect sets the scene and plays in the background, while the preterite is each event that moves the plot forward.
What you'll cover
3 lessons · CEFR B1 · Intermediate
- 1
Contrasting the preterite (completed, specific events) and imperfect (ongoing, habitual, descriptive) with trigger words and context clues.
- 2
Constructing past narratives that alternate between preterite for plot events and imperfect for scene-setting.
- 3
Expressing interrupted actions using the imperfect for the background action and the preterite for the interrupting event.
Examples
Ayer comí una pizza.
Yesterday I ate a pizza.
Single completed action → preterite
De niño, comía pizza todos los viernes.
As a child, I used to eat pizza every Friday.
Habitual past habit → imperfect
Llovía cuando de repente sonó el teléfono.
It was raining when suddenly the phone rang.
Background (imperfect) + plot event (preterite)
Viví en París durante dos años.
I lived in Paris for two years.
Defined period, completed → preterite
Vivía en París cuando éramos jóvenes.
He lived in Paris when we were young.
Background state in the past → imperfect
Common questions
What is the quickest test for whether to use the preterite or imperfect?
Ask whether the past event has a clear boundary. If it started and finished — a completed action — use the preterite: "Comí" (I ate). If it was ongoing, habitual, or describes a state without a defined end, use the imperfect: "Comía" (I used to eat / I was eating).
Which time expressions signal the preterite?
Trigger words for the preterite include: ayer (yesterday), anteayer (the day before yesterday), la semana pasada (last week), el año pasado (last year), hace [time] (ago), de repente (suddenly), and entonces (then). These indicate a specific, bounded past moment.
Which time expressions signal the imperfect?
Trigger words for the imperfect include: siempre (always), a veces (sometimes), todos los días (every day), de niño/de joven (as a child/young person), antes (before/in the past), and normalmente (normally). These indicate routine or habitual past action.
How do I combine the preterite and imperfect in a story?
Use the imperfect to set the scene — background states and ongoing actions — and the preterite for plot events that interrupt or advance the narrative: "Llovía (imperfect) cuando de repente sonó (preterite) el teléfono." The imperfect is the backdrop; the preterite is what happens.
Do any verbs change meaning depending on which past tense they use?
Yes. Saber in the preterite (supe) means "I found out"; in the imperfect (sabía) it means "I knew". Conocer in the preterite (conocí) means "I met for the first time"; in the imperfect (conocía) means "I was acquainted with". Querer in the preterite (quise) means "I tried"; in the imperfect (quería) means "I wanted".
Related grammar topics
Practise this grammar in context
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