Spanish Preterite Tense of Regular Verbs
Are you struggling with the Spanish preterite tense? (Pretérito perfecto simple, or Pretérito Indefinido) 😅 Don’t worry—you’re not alone! Many Spanish learners find past tenses tricky, but with this easy-to-follow guide, you’ll be conjugating like a pro in no time. 🚀
In this post, we’ll break down:
✅ How to conjugate regular -AR, -ER, and -IR verbs
✅ When to use the preterite vs. other past tenses
✅ Common trigger words (so you’ll never mix them up again!)
✅ Pronunciation tips & accent rules
✅ Practice examples to test your skills
Ready? Let’s dive in! 💃📖
📌 What Is the Preterite Tense?
The preterite tense (pretérito indefinido) is used for completed actions in the past. Think of it as the "simple past" in English—it describes events that started and ended at a specific time.
🔹 Examples:
Ayer, comí paella. (Yesterday, I ate paella.) 🥘
Ellos viajaron a Madrid. (They traveled to Madrid.) ✈️
Terminé mi tarea anoche. (I finished my homework last night.) 📚
📌 How to Conjugate Regular Verbs in the Preterite
1. -AR Verbs (e.g., hablar – to speak)
⚠️ Note:
Yo and Él/Ella/Usted forms have accents (hablé, habló).
2. -ER & -IR Verbs (e.g., comer – to eat, vivir – to live)
🔍 Key Difference:
-ER and -IR verbs are conjugated the same in the preterite!
When to Use the Preterite
The preterite is used for:
✅ Completed actions (with a clear beginning or end):
Ayer comí pizza. (Yesterday, I ate pizza.)
Ellos viajaron a España el año pasado. (They traveled to Spain last year.)
✅ Single events in the past:
María nació en 1990. (María was born in 1990.)
✅ A series of completed actions:
Me desperté, me vestí y salí. (I woke up, got dressed, and left.)
✅ Actions that interrupted another action (often used with the imperfect):
Miraba la TV cuando sonó el teléfono. (I was watching TV when the phone rang.)
📌 Common Preterite Trigger Words ⏳
These words often signal the preterite tense:
Ayer (yesterday)
Anoche (last night)
La semana pasada (last week)
El año pasado (last year)
Hace dos días (two days ago)
De repente (suddenly)
Una vez (once)
📌 Pronunciation & Accent Rules 🎤
Yo form (-é, -í) → hablé, comí
Él/Ella/Usted form (-ó, -ió) → habló, comió
All other forms → No accent needed!
❌ Incorrect: hablo (present) vs. ✅ Correct: habló (past)
📝 Spanish Preterite Tense Quiz – Multiple Choice
Test your knowledge of regular -AR, -ER, and -IR verbs in the preterite!
Click here to practice.
🗣️ Spanish Preterite Tense Speaking Practice – 30+ Questions to Master the Past!
Want to practice speaking with the preterite tense? Here’s a list of questions (from easy to advanced) to help you improve fluency and sound more natural in Spanish! 💬🎙️
🌍 Basic Questions (Daily Life & Habits)
¿Qué hiciste ayer? (What did you do yesterday?)
¿Dónde comiste la última vez que saliste? (Where did you eat the last time you went out?)
¿A qué hora te despertaste hoy? (What time did you wake up today?)
¿Viste alguna película la semana pasada? (Did you watch any movies last week?)
¿Hablaste con alguien interesante recientemente? (Did you talk to anyone interesting recently?)
🎉 Past Events & Experiences
¿Cómo celebraste tu último cumpleaños? (How did you celebrate your last birthday?)
¿Viajaste el año pasado? ¿Adónde fuiste? (Did you travel last year? Where did you go?)
¿Qué fue lo más divertido que hiciste el mes pasado? (What was the funniest thing you did last month?)
¿Cuándo fue la última vez que lloraste? ¿Por qué? (When was the last time you cried? Why?)
¿Terminaste algún libro recientemente? ¿Cuál? (Did you finish any books recently? Which one?)
🎓 School & Work (Professional Context)
¿Qué estudiaste en la universidad? (What did you study in college?)
¿Cuál fue tu primer trabajo? ¿Te gustó? (What was your first job? Did you like it?)
¿Tuviste algún jefe difícil en el pasado? (Did you have any difficult bosses in the past?)
¿Terminaste algún proyecto importante el año pasado? (Did you finish any important projects last year?)
¿Ganaste algún premio o reconocimiento? (Did you win any awards or recognition?)
❤️ Personal & Emotional Questions
¿Cuándo fue la última vez que te enamoraste? (When was the last time you fell in love?)
¿Tuviste alguna mascota cuando eras niño/a? (Did you have any pets when you were a kid?)
¿Qué fue lo más difícil que superaste? (What was the hardest thing you overcame?)
¿Recibiste alguna mala noticia recientemente? (Did you receive any bad news recently?)
¿Alguna vez mentiste y te descubrieron? (Did you ever lie and get caught?)
🎭 Storytelling & Narration (Advanced Practice)
¿Qué pasó la última vez que perdiste algo importante? (What happened the last time you lost something important?)
Cuéntame sobre un accidente o situación graciosa que tuviste. (Tell me about an accident or funny situation you had.)
¿Cómo reaccionaste cuando viste algo impactante? (How did you react when you saw something shocking?)
¿Qué hiciste cuando te enteraste de una gran noticia? (What did you do when you heard big news?)
Describe un momento en que tuviste mucho miedo. (Describe a moment when you were really scared.)
💡 Bonus: Follow-Up Questions for Deeper Conversations
¿Por qué decidiste hacer eso? (Why did you decide to do that?)
¿Cómo te sentiste después? (How did you feel afterward?)
¿Cambió algo en tu vida después de eso? (Did anything in your life change after that?)
¿Qué hubieras hecho diferente? (What would you have done differently?)
¿Recomendarías esa experiencia a otros? (Would you recommend that experience to others?)
📖 Reading Comprehension: Carlos' Busy Week (Regular Preterite Verbs Practice)
📌 Final Tips for Mastering the Preterite
🔹 Memorize the endings with flashcards. 📇
🔹 Listen to native speakers (songs, podcasts, shows). 🎧
🔹 Practice daily with short sentences. ✍️
🎉 ¡Felicidades! You’ve mastered the preterite!
Now, go practice and impress your Spanish-speaking friends! 💬🔥
Got questions? Drop them in the comments! 👇