How to use the Spanish preterite tense: A fun and useful guide

Have you ever found yourself in a Spanish conversation, trying to explain what you did yesterday, last week, or a year ago? Welcome to the wild world of Spanish past tenses!

If you’re anything like my American husband, you’re probably using the present tense to talk about the past. While this can work for a while, sorry to break the news to you, but you’re going to need to learn other tenses eventually!

But don’t sweat it — this guide is here to help you master the Spanish preterite tense, making those awkward pauses a thing of the past (you got the pun?). At the end of this article, you’ll be narrating your past like a telenovela star!

Table of contents

• What is the Spanish preterite tense?
• When to use the preterite tense in Spanish
• Spanish preterite regular verb conjugation
• Spanish preterite irregular verb conjugation
• Common irregular verb patterns
• Common mistakes and tips to learn Spanish preterite tense
• Conclusion

What is the Spanish preterite tense?

The Spanish preterite tense, known as “el pretérito” in Spanish, is like a time machine. It’s the tense you’ll use when you want to talk about things that happened and were completed in the past. If you know French, it’s similar to “passé simple”, but much more used in daily conversations.

Now, don’t confuse it with the imperfect tense, another widely used past tense in Spanish. While the preterite is all about actions that are finished, the imperfect is more about actions that were ongoing or habitual in the past. Imagine you’re flipping through a photo album: the preterite refers to those snapshot moments, while the imperfect is more like the video clips.

When to use the preterite tense in Spanish

So, when should you use the Spanish preterite tense, exactly? If my photo album metaphor wasn’t very clear, don’t worry, Well, there are a few specific scenarios where it’s your go-to tense.

Completed actions

If you want to talk about something that happened, and you’re certain it’s over, the preterite is your best choice. Whether you ran a marathon or just finished a book, the preterite helps you wrap it all up!

Examples of preterite tense describing completed actions

Specific times or period

Need to talk about something that happened at a specific time? Or maybe you want to mention an action that took place over a particular period? The preterite is here to help.

Examples of preterite tense describing actions at a specific time

Examples of preterite tense describing actions during a specific period

Sequential actions

When you need to narrate a series of actions in the past, the preterite tense comes in handy. It helps you explain each event in order, making your story flow like a good — or questionable — telenovela plot.

Examples of preterite tense used for sequential actions

Spanish preterite regular verb conjugation

Let’s dive into the heart of Spanish conjugation: regular verbs in the preterite tense. But don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds. It’s actually pretty straightforward! We’ll start with the -ar verbs, then tackle -er and -ir verbs. ¿Listos?

Verbs ending in -ar

Here’s a quick breakdown of how to conjugate regular -ar verbs in the preterite tense, using the verb hablar (to speak) as an example.

Examples of preterite conjugation of verbs ending in -ar

Verbs ending in -er

Next up, the -er verbs! Here’s how to conjugate them, using comer (to eat) as our example. Because I don’t know about you, but ¡me encanta comer! And speaking of which, this guide to ordering food in Spanish might be helpful.

Examples of preterite conjugation of verbs ending in -er

Verbs ending in -ir

Last but not least, the -ir verbs! Let’s use vivir (to live) as our example here.

Examples of preterite conjugation of verbs ending in -ir

Spanish preterite irregular verb conjugation

If you’re already familiar with Romance languages, it’s no secret to you that they come with their lovely irregular verbs! And trust me, Spanish is not the worst!

Yes, unlike regular verbs, these sneaky verbs like to break the rules. However, they still follow certain patterns — well, most of the time. The key is to spot the patterns and get familiar with them.

To dive deeper into irregular verbs, check out this helpful guide.

Common irregular verb patterns

Stem-changing irregular verbs

Some irregular verbs undergo a stem change in the preterite tense. Here’s how it looks with some of the most common verbs.

Sentences with poder (to be able to), poner (to put), tener (to have), saber (to know)

Irregular verbs with a “j” stem

These verbs have a stem change that involves adding a "j." Here’s how they conjugate:

Sentences with decir (to say/tell), traer (to bring)

Verbs with vowel changes

Certain verbs undergo vowel changes in the preterite tense. Here are some examples:

Sentences with leer (to read), oír (to hear)

Verbs with completely irregular forms

Finally, some verbs are just rebels — good for them! —- and don’t follow any rules. Let’s look at ir (to go) and ser (to be).

Sentences with ir (to go), ser (to be)

Common mistakes and tips to learn Spanish preterite tense

Common mistakes — No worries, mistakes are part of learning and always endearing!

Pitfall 1: Using the preterite for ongoing actions — The “Oops, I did it again” syndrome

Imagine you’re at a fiesta, and you want to tell your Spanish-speaking friend that you were dancing all night. But wait, you accidentally whip out the preterite instead of the imperfect, and suddenly, it sounds like you stopped dancing after just one song! That can’t be right at a proper Spanish fiesta: you should have used the imperfect instead!

Pro tip: If you can stick a “was” or “were” in front of your English sentence, the imperfect might be the right choice. Example: “I was dancing” = bailaba (not bailé unless you want to cut that dance short — might actually be helpful depending on your dance partner!). Hmmm, that reminds me of a song. Sorry, I couldn't help it.

Pitfall 2: Confusing preterite endings — The “Oops, wrong outfit” dilemma

Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us. Endings can be very confusing! Mixing up these endings is like showing up to a formal event in a bunny costume — it’s an honest mistake, but let’s aim for the right fit next time! Learn more clothes in Spanish here.

Pro tip: Drill those endings into your memory with some good old-fashioned repetition — flashcards, apps, or even sticky notes around your house! Or, to continue with our theme, watch telenovelas, they speak very slowly and it’s a really fun way of learning!

Pitfall 3: Overthinking — The “Paralysis by analysis” trap

Ah, the classic trap: overthinking. You’re in the middle of the conversation, trying to decide between preterite and imperfect, and suddenly, your brain decides to take a siesta. Relax, take it eeeeaaaasy! Don’t let perfectionism paralyze you. The more you speak, the more instinctive it will become. Remember, even native speakers slip up sometimes — it’s all part of the learning curve.

Pro tip: Embrace the mistakes. Think of them as a part of your Spanish adventure, not as obstacles. The more you dive into conversations, the more the preterite tense will start to feel like second nature.

Now that you’ve learned the basics of Spanish preterite tense, you should be ready to engage in deeper and more accurate conversions! And, next time you’re chilling on your couch watching a telenovela, you’ll spot Spanish preterite like a pro. Every time someone dramatically declares, “Me engañaste!” (You betrayed/cheated on me!), you’ll know exactly what tense María or Antonio is using.

So, next time you’re binge-watching your favorite Spanish series or rehashing the details of last weekend’s fiesta, remember that you’ve got the tools to do it all en español.

And if you’re a grammar nerd — no judgment, we need them! — check out our Spanish learning blog! You’ll also learn some cool vocab, and a lot about Spanish and Latin American culture around the world.