Capitulo Nueve - Gramatica Dos - Choosing between preterite and imperfect

Question 1

What are the ideal differences between the preterite and the imperfect?

Answer 1

The preterite is used to express “completed and over” actions.

The imperfect is used to express actions and conditions in the past that are seen as habitual or ongoing.

Question 2

General guidelines for using the preterite against the imperfect:

Answer 2

1. Relates a completed past action or series of completed past actions.

Comimos en ese restaurante la semana pasada.
We ate in that restaurant last week.

2. Focuses on the beginning or end of a past event.

La cena comenzó a las nueve, pero no terminó hasta medianoche.
Dinner started at nine, but it didn’t end until midnight.

3. Relates a completed past condition that is viewed as completely over and done with at this point in time (usually gives a time period associated with the condition).

Manuel estuvo enfermo por dos semanas, después de comer en ese restaurante, pero ahora está bien.
Manuel was sick for two weeks after eating in that restaurant, but now he is well.

4. Relates an action that interrupted an ongoing action.

Ya comíamos el postre cuando por fin Miguel llegó al restaurante.
We were eating dessert when Miguel finally arrived at the restaurant.

Question 3

General guidelines for using the imperfect against the preterite:

Answer 3

1. Describes habitual or routine past actions.

Comíamos en ese restaurante todos las semanas.
We used to eat/ate in that restaurant every week.

2. Focuses on the duration of the event in the past, rather than its beginning or end.

Cenábamos desde las nueve hasta medianoche.
We were eating from 9 until midnight.

3. Describes past conditions (such as time, weather, emotional states, age, and location) that were ongoing at the time of description (no focus on the beginning of end of that condition).

El restaurante era famoso por su comida latinoamericana y estábamos muy contentos con los platos que pedimos.
The restaurant was famous for its Latin American food and we were very happy with the plates that we ordered.

4. Describes ongoing background events in the past that were interrupted by another action.

Ya comíamos el postre cuando por fin Miguel llegó al restaurante.
We were eating dessert when Miguel finally arrived at the restaurant.

Question 4

Here are some context words typically used with the preterite:

Answer 4

de repente - suddenly
por fin - finally
ayer - yesterday 
la semana pasada - last week
el mes pasado - last month
el año pasado - last year
una vez - once
dos veces - twice

Question 5

Here are some context words typically used with the imperfect:

Answer 5

generalmente - generally
por lo general - generally/usually
normalmente - normally
todos los días/meses/años - every day/month/year
todas las semanas - every week
frecuentemente - frequently 
típicamente - typically