PAST TENSE #1:

THE PRETERITE

The Preterite (I ate tense)

We use the preterite to tell actions that happened in the

past. Actions in preterite happened in the past and nothing

else happened when theyre happening.
Ayer com a las 5 y fui al cine.
Yesterday I ate at 5 and I went to the cinema.
Ayer trabaj toda la noche.
Yesterday I worked all night.
Yo habl con l la semana pasada.
I spoke with him last week.

Construction of the preterite (verbs that end with -ar)

Cantar
Verbs that end with -ar finish with:
Yo (-)
T (-aste)
l/ Ella/Usted (-)
Nosotros (-amos)
Vosotros (-asteis)
Ellos/Ellas (-aron.)

Cantar:
Yo cant
Tu cantaste
l/Ella cant
Nosotros cantamos
Vosotros cantasteis
Ellos/Ellas cantaron

Verbs that end with -er & -ir. Comer and Vivir
Verbs that end with -er and -ir finish with:
Yo (-)
Tu (-iste)
l/Ella (-i)
Nosotros (-imos)
Vosotros (-isteis)
Ellos/Ellas (-eron)

Comer:
Vivir:
Yo com
Yo viv
Tu comiste
Tu viviste
l/Ella comi
El vivi
Nosotros comimos
Nosotros vivimos
Vosotros comisteis
Vosotros vivisteis
Ellos/Ellas comieron
Ellos/Ellas vivieron

Preterite of Ser
Yo fui
T fuiste
l/Ella fue
Nosotros fuimos
Vosotros fuisteis
Ellos/Ellas fueron

Preterite of Ir (to go)

Yo fui
T fuiste
l/Ella fue
Nosotros fuimos
Vosotros fuisteis
Ellos/Ellas fueron

Preterite of Estar (The estuv conjugation)

Yo estuve
T estuviste
l/Ella estuv
Nosotros estuvimos
Vosotros estuvisteis
Ellos/Ellas estuvieron

Preterite of Tener
Yo tuve
Tu tuviste
l/Ella tuvo
Nosotros tuvimos
Vosotros tuvisteis
Ellos/Ellas tuvieron

Tips on using the Preterite

If you only want to express one single action that happened

on the past, use the preterite (80%).

Ayer encontr mis lentes.
Yesterday I found my glasses.

If something happened just once in the past, use the

preterite.
Una vez fui a ese restaurante.
One time I went to that restaurant.

If they ask you a question in preterite, answer it in preterite.

Dnde estuviste anoche?
Estuve en la departamento.
Where were you last night?
I was at the appartment.

When its about you

If the verb ends with -ar =
If the verb ends with -er or -ir =
(cantar) Yo cant
(comer) Yo com
(salir) Yo sal