Spanish Past Tenses: Preterite vs. Imperfect Explained Simply


If you’ve started learning Spanish, chances are you’ve run into the preterite vs. imperfect problem. Both are past tenses, but they don’t always translate directly into English. For many English speakers, this can be one of the trickiest grammar points in Spanish.

In this guide, we’ll break down the difference between the preterite tense and the imperfect tense, show you when to use each, and give you tips to practice so you can master Spanish storytelling.

What Is the Preterite Tense?

The preterite tense (pretérito) is used for completed actions in the past. Think of it as the “finished past.”

Examples:

  • Ayer comí pizza. → “Yesterday I ate pizza.”

  • Fuimos al cine el sábado. → “We went to the movies on Saturday.”

Key Uses:

  • Completed actions or events

  • Specific point in time

  • Actions with a clear beginning and end

What Is the Imperfect Tense?

The imperfect tense (imperfecto) is used for ongoing or repeated actions in the past. It sets the background or describes what “used to happen.”

Examples:

  • Cuando era niño, jugaba al fútbol todos los días. → “When I was a child, I used to play soccer every day.”

  • Ella leía mientras él cocinaba. → “She was reading while he was cooking.”

Key Uses:

  • Habitual or repeated past actions

  • Descriptions (time, age, weather, feelings)

  • Actions happening simultaneously in the past

  • Ongoing action interrupted by another event

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Side-by-Side Comparison

Situation Preterite Example Imperfect Example
Completed event Viví en México por un año. (I lived in Mexico for one year.) –
Habitual action – Vivía en México cuando era estudiante. (I used to live in Mexico when I was a student.)
Background details – Hacía calor y estaba soleado. (It was hot and sunny.)
Interrupted action Entró en la habitación. (He entered the room.) Yo leía un libro. (I was reading a book.)

Tips for Choosing Between Preterite and Imperfect

  1. Ask yourself: Is the action finished?

    • If yes → Preterite.

    • If it’s background or ongoing → Imperfect.

  2. Look for time markers:

    • Preterite: ayer, anoche, el año pasado

    • Imperfect: siempre, todos los días, de niño

  3. Think in terms of a story:

    • Imperfect sets the scene (Era una noche oscura…).

    • Preterite tells what happened (De repente, escuché un ruido).

How to Practice Preterite and Imperfect

  • Read short stories in Spanish and underline verbs in the past tense. Identify which ones are preterite vs. imperfect.

  • Listen to Spanish podcasts or audiobooks and pay attention to past tense verbs.

  • Write your daily routine as a child (imperfect) and a short event that happened yesterday (preterite).

Final Thoughts

Mastering the preterite vs. imperfect isn’t about memorizing rules alone—it’s about developing a feel for context. The more you read, listen, and practice storytelling in Spanish, the more natural the choice will become.

With consistent practice, you’ll soon use both tenses confidently—and your Spanish conversations will sound much more natural.