![]() If you remember from our previous posts, there are both regular and irregular verbs in Spanish. Spanish Past Tense Conjugations: Regular Verbs Now that you understand how the two past tenses are used, we will narrow our focus to the pretérito and see how to conjugate it. ![]() ![]() Teníamos una noche de juegos cada jueves.Ella jugaba básquetbol cuando era niña.Tomabamos café cada domingo cuando estabamos en la universidad.If you are talking about habitual past events or things you “used to” do, then use the imperfecto.Él me regaló una nueva bicicleta para mi cumpleaños.If you are talking about singular past events, or events that happened several times but NOT habitually, use the pretérito.In order to know which to choose, keep the following in mind: We used to have game night every Thursday.She used to play basketball when she was younger.We used to get coffee every Sunday when we were in college.El imperfecto is for actions that repeatedly took place in the past, or continual states (like time and weather).We went to the movie theater last Friday.El pretérito is for actions that took place one time.Instead, two different tenses exist in Spanish that translate to the simple past in English: el pretérito and el imperfecto. However, it’s important to note that there is no pasado simple in Spanish. Specifically, in this blog post, we will focus on what we call the simple past in English. Did they go to the beach? - Did shows that we are talking in the past tense.First of all, when we say the “past tense,” this phrase encompasses multiple different tenses (past simple, continuous, perfect, etc.).They didn't go to the beach - Didn't shows that we are talking in the past tense.The word went is used for all subjects – I, you, we, they, he, she, it.īUT, as we mentioned before, it is only in its irregular form ( went) in sentences that are affirmative/positive.Ĭompare the following using GO in the past tense. It does not end in –ED so it is considered irregular. (An exception to this is with the verb TO BE in the Past Tense).įor example: The past tense of GO is WENT. Irregular verbs are ONLY irregular in affirmative/positive sentences. What did you say? - I didn't say anything.Read more about short answers in the past tense. Where did you study? – I studied at the library.When did you study? – I studied last night.We can also use a question word (Who, What, Why etc.) before DID to ask for more information. NOTICE: The only difference between a question in the present tense and a question in the past tense is the change in the auxiliary verb.īoth Do and Does in present tense questions become Didn't in past tense questions.Ĭompare the questions in the examples below: The auxiliary DID shows that the question is in the past tense. The main verb ( live in the example above) is in its base form (of the infinitive). We use did to make a question in the past tense. They didn't study so they didn't pass the test.Examples of negative sentences in the Past Tense NOTICE: The only difference between a negative sentence in the present tense and a negative sentence in the past tense is the change in the auxiliary verb.īoth don't and doesn't in the present tense become didn't in the past tense.Ĭompare the negative sentences in the examples below: The auxiliary DIDN'T shows that the sentence is negative AND in the past tense. (Exception is To Be and Modal Verbs such as Can) This is for regular AND irregular verbs in English. We use didn't (did not) to make a negative sentence in the past tense. We recommend reading our guide about the pronunciation of –ED at the end of words. Note: There are three different ways of pronouncing the –ed at the end of a verb in the past tense. ![]() Last night I played my guitar loudly and the neighbors complained.Examples of sentences using regular verbs in the past tense There are some exceptions with a slight change in spelling which you can see here: To change a regular verb into its past tense form, we normally add –ED to the end of the verb. In this case we just needed to learn the one word wanted which can be used for all subjects (or people). So you just have to learn one word to be able to use it in the past tense. Wanted is used as the past tense for all subjects/pronouns. where you change the verb ending for every subject.įor example: The past tense of the verb want is wanted. This is totally different from other languages such as Spanish, French, Italian etc. (The exception is the Past tense of To Be, which has two forms: was and were) The main rule is that for every verb in English, there is only one form of it in the past tense.
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