Recap: What is the Preterite Tense?

• A past tense used to describe an action or event that took place during a specific time in the past and is now completed.

• One of the first past tenses learned in the Spanish language.

Recap: What is the Preterite? Pt. 2

• Used when talking about something that occurred/happened or when you did something. When this occurs, you use the preterite tense. Ex:

  • I went to Cancun over Spring Break (I did something)

    • Yo fui a Cancún durante el descanso de primavera.

  • We worked over our break. (We did something)

    • Nosotros trabajamos durante nuestro descanso.

  • It rained yesterday. (Something that occurred)

    • Llovió ayer.

Recap: Conjugations in the Preterite

1. Drop the infinitive ending: -ar, -er, or -ir

2. Add the preterite ending depending on the verb.

-IR verbs in the Preterite

• Verbs with stem changes (e) to (i) and (o) to (u).

• -IR verbs ONLY change stem in the third person singular form, (él/ella/usted), and in the third person plural form, (ellos/ellas/ustedes).

-ER/IR Conjugations

*Often referred to as SOLLE verbs or sandalía verbs (slipper verbs)

IR Stem Changers (E - I)

• (e) to (i)

IR Stem Changers (O-U)

• (o) to (u)