The imperfecto and Preterito

Question 1

What is the imperfecto used for?

Answer 1

The imperfect tense (el imperfecto) is used in descriptions of places, mood or atmosphere, and for events which last or are repeated.

• The main use of the imperfecto is for describing things, people, animals or situations in the past:
  1. Describe qualities, characteristics or attributes.
  2. Describe habitual actions in the past. It’s the equivalent of “used to…“
  3. Describe specific situations in the past.

Question 2

Mi house was small and dark.

Answer 2

• Mi casa era pequeña y oscura.

Question 3

– Mi father was blond and wore a moustache.

Answer 3

• Mi padre era rubio y llevaba bigote.

Question 4

– I used to go to swimming pool every morning last year.

Answer 4

• Iba a la piscina todas las mañanas el año pasado.

Question 5

– When I was young I could touch my toes with my fingers.

Answer 5

• Cuando era joven podía tocarme los dedos de los pies con la mano.

Question 6

I was at my boyfriend’s house and we ate a pizza

Answer 6

• Estaba en casa de mi novio y comimos una pizza.

Question 7

When I studied in college, I went out partying every night.

Answer 7

• Cuando estudiaba en la universidad, salía de fiesta todas las noches.

Question 8

When I lived in London, I always went to work by tube.

Answer 8

Cuando vivía en Londres, iba siempre en metro al trabajo.

Question 9

– It was very cold and it rained often.

Answer 9

• Hacía mucho frío y llovía a menudo.

Question 10

It was 3 o’clock in the afternoon when the telephone rang.

– I was 25 that summer.

Answer 10

• Eran las 3 de la tarde cuando sonó el teléfono.
• Tenía 25 años aquel verano.

Question 11

It was dark and the street was empty. I was coming back home when I heard someone calling my name. I turned around and I didn’t see anybody. I was very scared so I started running.

Answer 11

• Era de noche y la calle estaba vacía. Yo volvía a casa sola cuando oí que alguien me llamaba. Me di la vuelta y no vi a nadie. Estaba muy asustada, así que eché a correr

Question 12

The simple past tense, or preterite (el indefinido)
What is this used for?

Answer 12

It is used to relate events that happened at a point or points in the past. If you consider the past as a timeline, it refers to events or actions that happen once and finish, however long they take.

Question 13

When my mother came to visit, we went to the British Museum.

Answer 13

Cuando vino mi madre a visitarme, fuimos al Museo Británico.

Question 14

– Last year, my parents and I moved to our new house.

Answer 14

El año pasado mis padres y yo nos mudamos a nuestra nueva casa.

Question 15

Right when we were having more fun, he had to go.

Answer 15

Justo cuando estábamos pasándolo mejor, tuvo que irse.