Explanation
The pretérito indefinido is the Spanish preterite tense, used for completed past actions with a clear beginning and end, as in Ayer comí paella — yesterday I ate paella.
Once past A1, the past tenses are the next real hurdle — especially telling the preterite apart from the imperfect.
Regular conjugation
-ar verbs take -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron. -er and -ir verbs share one set: -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.
Irregulars to memorise
Ser and ir are identical in this tense: fui, fuiste, fue, fuimos, fuisteis, fueron. Only context tells you which verb is meant.
Preterite versus imperfect
The preterite narrates completed events; the imperfect paints background, habits and actions in progress. Sentences combining both usually follow the shape "I was doing A when B happened".
Key points
- Used for completed events with defined time boundaries.
- -er and -ir verbs share a single set of endings.
- Ser and ir are conjugated identically in this tense.
- Common time markers: ayer, anoche, el año pasado, hace dos días.
- Frequently paired with the imperfect in narrative sentences.
Examples
Ayer estudié tres horas.
Yesterday I studied for three hours.
Fuimos a Madrid el año pasado.
We went to Madrid last year.
Estudiaba cuando sonó el teléfono.
I was studying when the phone rang. (imperfect + preterite)
Common mistakes
- Using the preterite for repeated past habits, which need the imperfect.
- Dropping the accent on the yo and él forms — hablo and habló are different tenses.
- Applying -ar endings to -ir verbs.