DELE A2 Guide: Spanish Preterite vs Imperfect – Key Differences

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Key Takeaways

• Clear rules for choosing between preterite and imperfect tenses
• Practical acronyms to remember when to use each tense
• Real-life examples showing both tenses used together
• DELE A2 focused practice with our specialized quiz

Welcome to the most important grammar guide for DELE A2: Preterite vs Imperfect. Many students find this challenging, but with our clear explanations and examples, you’ll master the difference. This knowledge is crucial for telling stories and describing past events accurately in your exam.

The Golden Rule of Past Tenses
Remember this simple distinction:

• Preterite = Completed actions (what happened)
• Imperfect = Background information (how things were)

When to Use Each Tense: Clear Rules

Use Preterite For:

• Completed Actions: Single events with a clear end
  • “**Compré un libro ayer.” (I bought a book yesterday.)
• Specific Number of Times: Actions that happened a certain number of times
  • “**Fui al médico tres veces.” (I went to the doctor three times.)
• Interrupted Actions: When one action interrupts another
  • “**Caminaba cuando *escuché un ruido.” (I was walking when I heard a noise.)
• Series of Completed Events: Chains of actions
  • “**Me levanté, desayuné y **salí.” (I got up, ate breakfast, and left.)

Use Imperfect For:

• Habitual Actions: Repeated actions in the past
  • “**Iba al gimnasio todos los días.” (I used to go to the gym every day.)
• Descriptions: People, places, weather, emotions
  • “**Era una persona muy amable.” (He was a very kind person.)
• Time and Age: Telling time or stating age
  • “**Eran las dos de la tarde.” (It was two in the afternoon.)
• Ongoing Actions: Actions in progress
  • “**Estudiaba cuando llegaste.” (I was studying when you arrived.)

Easy Memory Tricks

Use IMPERFECT for:
H – Habits
A – Age
T – Time
E – Emotions/Descriptions

Use PRETERITE for:
S – Single events
I – Interruptions
C – Completed actions

DELE A2 Examples Showing Both Tenses

Example 1: A Typical Day
*”Cuando era joven, vivía con mis padres. Todos los días me levantaba a las siete y desayunaba rápido. Un día, ocurrió algo especial: conocí a mi mejor amigo.”

Example 2: A Past Event
*”Eran las ocho de la noche y llovía mucho. Caminaba por la calle cuando vi un accidente. Llamé a la policía inmediatamente.”

DELE A2 Exam Tips

• Speaking Section: Use both tenses when describing past experiences
• Writing Section: Show you can use both tenses correctly in stories
• Listening Section: Recognize the difference in audio passages

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Don’t use imperfect for single completed actions
• Don’t use preterite for descriptions or habits
• Remember time expressions that trigger each tense

Practice with Real Context
Try creating your own sentences using this structure:

• [Imperfect description] + [Preterite action]
• “Estaba en el parque cuando empezó a llover.”

Next Step: Test Your Knowledge!
Think you understand the difference? Prove it with our comprehensive quiz!

Take our DELE A2 Preterite vs Imperfect Quiz here to master this essential topic.

If you need help with the conjugations you can use the free Online Conjugator tool, just type in the verb and press conjugate! You can also download and print the conjugation charts!

What’s Next in Your DELE A2 Journey?

• Need to review? Return to DELE A2 Preterite Tense
• Want more practice? Try DELE A2 Imperfect Tense
• Ready for the next topic? Study DELE A2 Present Perfect
• Practice all A2 grammar? Return to DELE A2 Grammar Hub

Master this topic and you’ll be well on your way to passing DELE A2!