Preterite vs Imperfect

This is the lesson that ties everything together. Choosing between the preterite and the imperfect is one of the most challenging aspects of Spanish for English speakers, because English often uses the same form for both. In this lesson, we break down the distinction with clear rules, side-by-side comparisons, and plenty of examples.

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The Fundamental Distinction

Preterite	Imperfect
Completed action	Ongoing / habitual action
Has a clear beginning or end	Has no stated beginning or end
Happened a specific number of times	Happened an unspecified number of times
Moves the story forward	Provides background or context
What happened	What was happening

Analogy: Imagine watching a film. The imperfect is the scenery, lighting, and mood music. The preterite is the plot — the events that drive the story forward.

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Same Verb, Different Meaning

Some verbs change meaning depending on whether they are in the preterite or imperfect. This is because the preterite emphasises the beginning or completion of a state, while the imperfect describes the ongoing state: