Pretérito Indefinido in Spanish: A2 Grammar Guide
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Key Takeaways
- Master the conjugation rules for regular and irregular verbs in the Pretérito Indefinido
- Understand when to use this tense for completed actions in the past
- Learn common time expressions that trigger the use of the Indefinido
- Practice forming sentences to talk about specific past events and tell simple stories
- Differentiate between the Indefinido and other past tenses you will learn
Master the Simple Past in Spanish
The Pretérito Indefinido (Simple Past) is one of the most important tenses for storytelling in Spanish. It’s used to talk about actions that are seen as completed, with a definite beginning and end in the past. If you want to say what you did yesterday, last year, or at a specific time, this is the tense you need!
When to Use the Pretérito Indefinido (Cuándo Usarlo)
Use this tense for:
- ✅ Completed Actions: Actions that started and finished at a specific point in the past.
- ✅ Sequenced Events: A series of completed actions that happened one after another.
- ✅ Past Actions with a Specific Time Frame: Actions that happened a specific number of times or during a defined period.
Example Sentences:
- “Viajé a España el año pasado.” (I traveled to Spain last year.)
- “Ayer compré un libro, leí dos capítulos y luego cené.” (Yesterday I bought a book, read two chapters, and then had dinner.)
- “Viví en México por tres años.” (I lived in Mexico for three years.)
Regular Verb Conjugations (Conjugaciones Regulares)
| Subject | -AR Verbs (Hablar) | -ER Verbs (Comer) | -IR Verbs (Vivir) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | hablé | comí | viví |
| Tú | hablaste | comiste | viviste |
| Él/Ella/Usted | habló | comió | vivió |
| Nosotros/Nosotras | hablamos | comimos | vivimos |
| Vosotros/Vosotras | hablasteis | comisteis | vivisteis |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | hablaron | comieron | vivieron |
💡 Grammar Tip: Notice that the Nosotros form for -AR and -IR verbs is the same as in the present tense! You must rely on context to know if “hablamos” means “we speak” (present) or “we spoke” (past).
💡 Interactive Practice: Want to check any verb’s conjugation? Use Spanish Verb Conjugation Tool ► to practice the Indefinido, Imperfecto, and all other tenses with instant feedback.
Common Irregular Verbs (Verbos Irregulares Comunes)
| Infinitive | Yo | Tú | Él/Ella/Usted | Nosotros | Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ir (to go) | fui | fuiste | fue | fuimos | fueron |
| Ser (to be) | fui | fuiste | fue | fuimos | fueron |
| Hacer (to do/make) | hice | hiciste | hizo | hicimos | hicieron |
| Tener (to have) | tuve | tuviste | tuvo | tuvimos | tuvieron |
| Estar (to be) | estuve | estuviste | estuvo | estuvimos | estuvieron |
| Ver (to see) | vi | viste | vio | vimos | vieron |
| Dar (to give) | di | diste | dio | dimos | dieron |
| Decir (to say) | dije | dijiste | dijo | dijimos | dijeron |
🔍 Grammar Focus: The verbs Ir (to go) and Ser (to be) have the exact same conjugation in the Indefinido. “Fui” can mean “I went” or “I was,” so context is everything! “Fui a la playa” (I went to the beach) vs. “Fui profesor” (I was a teacher).
Time Expressions that Trigger the Indefinido
These words often signal that you need to use the Pretérito Indefinido:
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Yesterday | ayer |
| Last night | anoche |
| Last week | la semana pasada |
| Last year | el año pasado |
| The day before yesterday | anteayer |
| Once / One time | una vez |
| Suddenly | de repente |
| Then / Later | luego |
| Finally | finalmente |
| For [period] | durante [period] / por [period] |
Putting It All Together: A Short Story in the Past
El Fin de Semana Pasado (Last Weekend)
“El sábado pasado, me desperté temprano. Primero, fui al mercado y compré fruta fresca. Luego, hice ejercicio en el parque. Por la tarde, mis amigos y yo vimos una película. Finalmente, cenamos en un restaurante nuevo. Fue un día perfecto.”
Translation:
“Last Saturday, I woke up early. First, I went to the market and bought fresh fruit. Then, I exercised in the park. In the afternoon, my friends and I watched a movie. Finally, we had dinner at a new restaurant. It was a perfect day.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing with the Present: “Hablamos” can be present or past. Use time markers for clarity.
- Using it for Descriptions: The Indefinido is for actions, not for describing how things were (that’s the Imperfecto).
- Irregular Verb Mix-ups: Remember “fue” can mean “he went” OR “he was.”
- Accent Marks: Crucial for “yo -é” and “él -ó” forms to avoid confusion with other words (e.g., “hablo” vs. “habló”).
- Overusing for “Used to”: For habits in the past, you will learn the Imperfecto (“iba” = I used to go).
Quick Reference Chart
| Category | Key Points |
|---|---|
| Primary Use | Completed actions in the past |
| Regular Endings | -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron / -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron |
| Key Irregulars | Ir/Ser, Hacer, Tener, Estar, Ver, Dar, Decir |
| Time Expressions | ayer, anoche, la semana pasada, una vez |
| Common Mistake | Confusing Nosotros form with present tense |
Practice Exercise: Conjugate and Translate
Conjugate the verb in parentheses and translate the sentence:
- Yo (comer) una pizza anoche.
- Ellos (tener) una reunión ayer.
- Nosotras (vivir) en Chile por dos años.
- Tú (hacer) la tarea.
Answers:
- comí – I ate a pizza last night.
- tuvieron – They had a meeting yesterday.
- vivimos – We lived in Chile for two years.
- hiciste – You did the homework.
📚 Ready for the next past tense? Learn to describe ongoing past actions: Pretérito Imperfecto: A2 Grammar Guide
Ready to Practice?
Think you’ve mastered the Pretérito Indefinido? Test your knowledge with our quiz!
Take Our Pretérito Indefinido Quiz ►
