What is the preterite?
The preterite (also called the simple past) is used for actions that are completed and happened at a specific time in the past. Think of it as a snapshot - the action started, happened, and ended: Yesterday I ate paella. Last week she visited Madrid.
Regular -ar verbs: hablar (to speak)
Remove -ar and add these endings:
| Person | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -é | hablé - I spoke |
| tú | -aste | hablaste - you spoke |
| él/ella/usted | -ó | habló - he/she spoke |
| nosotros | -amos | hablamos - we spoke |
| vosotros | -asteis | hablasteis - you all spoke |
| ellos/ustedes | -aron | hablaron - they spoke |
Notice: The nosotros form is identical to the present tense for -ar verbs. Context tells you which tense is meant: Hablamos español. (We speak / We spoke Spanish.)
Regular -er and -ir verbs: comer / vivir
Good news - -er and -ir verbs share the same preterite endings:
| Person | Ending | comer | vivir |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | -í | comí | viví |
| tú | -iste | comiste | viviste |
| él/ella/usted | -ió | comió | vivió |
| nosotros | -imos | comimos | vivimos |
| vosotros | -isteis | comisteis | vivisteis |
| ellos/ustedes | -ieron | comieron | vivieron |
Time markers for the preterite
These words signal that the preterite is likely the right tense:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ayer | yesterday |
| anoche | last night |
| la semana pasada | last week |
| el mes / año pasado | last month / year |
| el lunes (pasado) | (last) Monday |
| hace dos días / una semana | two days / a week ago |
| en 2020 | in 2020 |
| una vez | once |
| de repente | suddenly |
Spelling changes in -ar verbs
Some -ar verbs need a spelling change in the yo form to preserve the original sound:
| Change | Verb | Yo preterite | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| c → qu | buscar (to look for) | busqué | keeps the "k" sound before -e |
| g → gu | llegar (to arrive) | llegué | keeps the hard "g" sound before -e |
| z → c | empezar (to begin) | empecé | Spanish spelling rule: no z before e |
All other forms of these verbs are regular. Only the yo form changes.
Using the preterite in sentences
- Ayer compré un libro. - Yesterday I bought a book.
- ¿Comiste bien anoche? - Did you eat well last night?
- María llegó a las dos. - Maria arrived at two.
- Nosotros vivimos en Sevilla durante tres años. - We lived in Seville for three years.
- Ellos vendieron su casa el mes pasado. - They sold their house last month.
- No estudié mucho para el examen. - I didn't study much for the exam.
Negative and questions
Same rules as the present tense:
- Negative: Put no before the verb: No hablé con ella. - I didn't speak to her.
- Questions: Use intonation or invert: ¿Hablaste con Pedro? - Did you talk to Pedro?
- Negative question: ¿No comiste? - Didn't you eat?
Dialogue: what did you do yesterday?
Isabel: ¿Qué hiciste ayer? Ah, perdona - todavía no hemos aprendido los irregulares. ¿Qué tal tu día ayer?
Raúl: Bueno, trabajé por la mañana hasta las dos. Después comí con unos compañeros en un restaurante cerca de la oficina.
Isabel: ¿Qué comiste?
Raúl: Comí una ensalada y un filete. Después caminé un poco por el centro. Compré un regalo para mi madre - su cumpleaños es mañana.
Isabel: ¡Qué bien! ¿Y por la noche?
Raúl: Cené en casa. Cociné pasta con tomate. Después de cenar, llamé a mi hermana por teléfono y hablamos una hora. Me acosté a las once.
Isabel: Yo también cené en casa. Estudié español toda la noche.
Raúl: ¡Se nota! Tu español mejoró mucho.
Translation
Isabel: What did you do yesterday? Oh sorry - we haven't learned the irregulars yet. How was your day yesterday?
Raul: Well, I worked in the morning until two. Then I ate with some colleagues at a restaurant near the office.
Isabel: What did you eat?
Raul: I ate a salad and a steak. Afterwards I walked a bit around the centre. I bought a present for my mother - her birthday is tomorrow.
Isabel: How nice! And in the evening?
Raul: I had dinner at home. I cooked pasta with tomato. After dinner, I called my sister on the phone and we talked for an hour. I went to bed at eleven.
Isabel: I also had dinner at home. I studied Spanish all evening.
Raul: You can tell! Your Spanish has improved a lot.
Practice
Conjugate the verb in brackets in the preterite:
- Yo (estudiar) _____ español ayer.
- Tú (comer) _____ en un restaurante anoche.
- Ella (vivir) _____ en Londres durante dos años.
- Nosotros (hablar) _____ con el profesor.
- Ellos (beber) _____ mucha agua.
- Yo (llegar) _____ tarde al trabajo. (spelling change!)
- Usted (escribir) _____ un correo electrónico.
- Vosotros (comprar) _____ fruta en el mercado.
Answers
- estudié
- comiste
- vivió
- hablamos
- bebieron
- llegué (g → gu before e)
- escribió
- comprasteis
Key takeaways
- The preterite is for completed, one-time past actions with a clear beginning and end.
- -ar verbs: -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron.
- -er and -ir verbs share the same endings: -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.
- Watch for spelling changes in the yo form: buscar → busqué, llegar → llegué, empezar → empecé.
- Time markers like ayer, la semana pasada, hace dos días often signal the preterite.