Need help with spanish preterite and imperfect?

Question

I'm in Spanish IV, AP (which was probably a mistake) and I just bombed a recent Preterito/Imperfecto test, and I realized that I understand only about 5% of it. If you know of an easy way to explain it or know of a website that could help me, please reply!

Answer 1

DR. ME WAIT is better for imperfect.

Descriptions - estaba enfermo, era muy alto
Repetition- Jugaba al futbol todos los dias

Mental- Creer, Pensar
Emotions- Estaba triste, Lo amaba, yo la queria mucho

Weather-hacia sol, llovia
Age tenia 16 anos
In progress- yo veia la tele mientras el cocinaba
Time era la una, eran las dos y media

Preterite is used only for completed actions

Answer 2

Preterito (or past tense) is used to describe a COMPLETED action while imperfecto describes an action that may still go on or was going on at the time.
I walked in the room while John was watching TV.
Yo entré el cuarto cuando Juán estaba mirrando a la televisión.
Entré=pretérito
Estaba mirrando=imperfecto

Answer 3

Combining the preterite and imperfect is difficult. The Super Man exercise I've linked below is fun and useful because it gives you imediate feedback about why each answer is right OR wrong.

The Colby.edu Spanish links are all very good. If you google "spanish preterito imperfecto" you'll find this one and may more.

suerte!

B

Answer 4

http://users.ipfw.edu/jehle/COURSES/vtenses.htm

I think that link will be quite helpful for you.

I guess you mean the difference between imperfecto de indicativo and preterito de indicativo. Let's put an example;

- Yo hablé, preterito de indicativo; You use it when you considered that the action you're refering to is finished.

- Yo hablaba, preterito imperfecto; the action is not yet finished, something else is supposed to have happened right after.

That's the basic rule, but,I guess it can be vey tricky. You might hear for instance;

Yo jugué al football; Right, that's it. Either the game is finished or you stopped playing football.
Yo jugaba al football; So what?? What happened afterwards?? Did you drop football??

Answer 5

For imperfect remember this for the uses:
O - ongoing actions in the background
H - habitual actions
W - weather descriptions
H - *I can't remember this one*
A - appearance of people or places
T - time
S - seasons
P - personality traits
A - attitude of people emotions
T - those actions w/o a clear begining or end
It spells out "Oh Whats Pat" I hope it helps

Answer 6

try this website I hope it helps

http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/pretimp1.htm