As a native Spanish teacher from Mexico, I know that learning verb tenses is one of the biggest challenges for Spanish learners. Among these, the preterite tense (el pretérito) is particularly important because it allows you to talk about completed actions in the past. If you want to tell stories, talk about specific events, or share experiences, understanding the preterite in Spanish is essential. Let’s break it down step by step so you can start using it with confidence.
What is the Preterite Tense?
Preterite rules with examples
The preterite (el pretérito) is a past tense used to describe completed actions that happened at a specific time in the past. Unlike the imperfect tense (which describes ongoing or habitual past actions), the preterite focuses on finished events with a clear beginning and end.
The preterite in spanish(el pretérito en español) is used to express actions that began and ended at a specific point in the past. For example:
To describe actions or events that are completed.
Example: Ayer, comí pizza. (Yesterday, I ate pizza.)
To indicate the beginning or end of an action.
Example: Empezó a llover a las tres. (It started raining at three.)
For actions that occurred at a specific time or within a defined period.
Example: Viví en México por dos años. (I lived in Mexico for two years.)
In these examples, the actions are clearly completed—they started and ended in the past. This is the key to identifying when to use the preterite tense.
When to Use the Preterite Tense
Completed actions with a defined time frame (e.g., Ayer comí pizza – “Yesterday, I ate pizza”).
A series of finished past events (Llegué, vi, vencí – “I came, I saw, I conquered”).
Actions that interrupted another ongoing past event (Estudiaba cuando llamaste – “I was studying when you called”).
How to Conjugate Regular Verbs in the Preterite Tense
Regular verbs in the preterite tense follow a simple pattern depending on whether they end in -ar, -er, or -ir. Let’s look at the conjugation for each group:
Past tense verb endings Spanish(preterite regular verbs)
-AR Verbs Example: Hablar (to speak)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | hablé |
| tú | hablaste |
| él/ella/usted | habló |
| nosotros/as | hablamos |
| ellos/as | hablaron |
| ustedes | hablaron |
Examples of preterite tense in spanish
Yo hablé con mi madre anoche por teléfono.(I spoke with my mother on the phone last night.)
Ella habló con Julián.(She Spoke with Julian)
-ER Verbs Example: Comer (to eat)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | comí |
| tú | comiste |
| él/ella/usted | comió |
| nosotros/as | comimos |
| ellos/as | comieron |
| ustedes | comieron |
Examples
Yo comí pizza. (I ate pizza.)
Mis papás comieron tacos.(My paarents ate tacos.)
-IR Verbs Example: Vivir (to live)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | viví |
| tú | viviste |
| él/ella/usted | vivió |
| nosotros/as | vivimos |
| ellos/as | vivieron |
| ustedes | vivieron |
Examples
Nosotras vivimos en Puerto Escondido.(We lived in Puerto Escondido.)
Usted no vivió en Guadalajara. (You did not live in Guaddlajara.)
Past tense verb endings Spanish(preterite irregular verbs)
Unfortunately, not all verbs in Spanish follow the regular patterns. Some of the most common verbs are irregular in the preterite tense, and their conjugations need to be memorized. Here are a few key irregular verbs:
Ser(to be) and ir (to go) share conjugation in the preterite in spanish.
SER (to be)/IR (to go)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | fui |
| tú | fuiste |
| él/ella/usted | fue |
| nosotros/as | fuimos |
| ellos/as | fueron |
| ustedes | fueron |
Examples
Yo fui a la fiesta con mis amigas .(I went to the party with my girl friends.)
Ellas fueron amigas en la universidad.(They were friends in the university.)
ESTAR (to be)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | estuve |
| tú | estuviste |
| él/ella/usted | estuvo |
| nosotros/as | estuvimos |
| ellos/as | estuvieron |
| ustedes | estuvieron |
Examples
Tú estuviste muy ocupada.(You were very busy.)
TENER (to have)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | tuve |
| tú | tuviste |
| él/ella/usted | tuvo |
| nosotros/as | tuvimos |
| ellos/as | tuvieron |
| ustedes | tuvieron |
Examples
Ellas tuvieron mucha tarea anoche.(They had a lot of homework last night.)
Key Spelling Changes in the Preterite
-CAR, -GAR, -ZAR verbs change in the yo form:
Buscar → Busqué (to avoid “buscé”)
Pagar → Pagué (to maintain hard “g” sound)
Empezar → Empecé (z → c for pronunciation)
Common Time Expressions for the Preterite
To know when to use the preterite tense, pay attention to time expressions that indicate a completed past action:
Ayer (yesterday)
Antier/anteayer(the day berofe yesterday)
La semana pasada (last week)
El mes pasado (last month)
Hace dos días (two days ago)
Anoche (last night)
El año pasado (last year)
- La Navidad pasada(last Christmas)
Example Sentences with common time expressions for the preterite:
Ayer, fui al cine. (Yesterday, I went to the movies.)
El año pasado, estudié en México. (Last year, I studied in Mexico.)
La Navidad pasada visitamos a mis abuelos en Nueva York.()
Antier/anteayer,mis primos y yo jugamos fútbol. (The day before yesterday,my cousins and I played soccer.)
Remember that in Mexico, Mexicans use the word fútbol to refer to soccer, and they use the term fútbol americano to refer to what Americans call football.
When not to use the preterite in spanish
- Habitual or ongoing actions → Use the imperfect(copreterite) .
- Interrupted actions → Ongoing action in imperfect(copreterite), interruption in preterite.
- Descriptions or states → Use the imperfect(copreterite).
- Simultaneous actions → Use the imperfect(copreterite).
If you want to learn more about the imperfect in spanish (copreterite).I invite you to read
Imperfect in Spanish: Easy Spanish guide for beginner spanish learners
Final Tips for Mastering the Preterite
✅ Practice with flashcards for irregular verbs.
✅ Read short stories in Spanish to see the preterite in context.
✅ Use language apps like Duolingo or Anki for drills.
Now that you understand the preterite in Spanish, try forming your own sentences! With consistent practice, you’ll soon use this tense naturally.
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