Key differences: preterite vs imperfect usage

The key difference between the preterite and imperfect tenses in Spanish lies in how they express past actions:

• The preterite tense is used for actions that are completed, specific, and occurred at a definite time or number of times in the past. It tells what happened and when, focusing on the beginning or end of an action or a sequence of completed events.

• The imperfect tense is used for past actions that were ongoing, habitual, repeated over an extended time, or provide background information. It describes what used to happen, how things were, or the circumstances surrounding an event without focusing on its completion or specific timing.

In essence, the preterite gives a clear, finished snapshot of the past, while the imperfect sets the scene or tells what was going on at a more general or continuous level in the past.

Usage Examples and Situations

Examples

• Preterite: “Ayer fuimos a visitar a mis abuelos.” (Yesterday we went to visit my grandparents.) — a completed action at a specific time.

• Imperfect: “Cada sábado íbamos a visitar a mis papás.” (Every Saturday we went to visit my parents.) — a habitual/repeated action in the past.

• Preterite: “Bruno cantó en el cumpleaños de Sara.” (Bruno sang at Sara’s birthday party.) — a one-time event.

• Imperfect: “Bruno cantaba en el bar todos los domingos.” (Bruno sang at the bar every Sunday.) — a repeated past habit.

Remember, to fully convey a past narrative in Spanish, both tenses are often used together: the preterite to indicate specific events that happened, and the imperfect to describe the background or ongoing past conditions. ^{1, 3, 4, 5, 6}

References

• Spanish Past Tenses 101: Preterite vs Imperfect

• Preterite vs Imperfect: Part IV

• Preterite vs. Imperfect Spanish: Everything You Need To …

• Preterite vs Imperfect in Spanish

• Preterite vs. Imperfect: How to use these past tenses in …

• Imperfect or Preterite in Spanish Grammar

• Preterite vs Imperfect: A Beginner’s Guide to the Past …

• When to use Preterite, and when to use Imperfect?

• Preterite or imperfect? - Revising Spanish grammar

• Spanish Past Tense: Preterite Vs. Imperfect, Rule of Thumb