1. Equivalent to the English Past Tense
The Preterite Tense
Equivalent to the English Past Tense

2. Regular (-AR) verbs in the Preterite Tense
To form the preterite tense of –ar verbs, add the following endings to the stem of the infinitive. Remember drop the (-ar) and then add the ending.
Then nosotros(-as) form of the preterite of –AR verbs is identical to the nosotros(-as) form in the present tense.
Stem changing verbs of the –AR conjugation do not undergo any stem change in the preterite tense.
The word did in the construction did not and in questions Did you…? Is not translated into Spanish.
Remember helping verbs do not exist in Spanish. To make it negative you simply add no directly before the verb and to form a question place the subject after the verb. -é
-amos
-aste -ó
-aron

3. have a spelling change in the “yo” form of the pretérito.
Irregular –ar verbs with endings
-car, -gar and -zar
have a spelling change in the “yo” form of the pretérito.
“-qué”
“-gué”
“-cé”
-car -gar -zar

4. buscar tocar practicar pagar jugar llegar almorzar empezar comenzar
The “yo” form of the pretérito changes to conserve the sound of the infinitive:
buscar tocar practicar
pagar jugar llegar
almorzar empezar comenzar

5. Regular (-er) and (–ir) verbs in the Preterite Tense
-er and –ir verbs have the same set of preterite endings. These endings are added to the stem of the infinitive.
Stem-changing verbs of the –er conjugation do not undergo any stem change in the preterite tense.
A few stem changing –ir verbs such as dormer and sentir also have stem changes in the preterite.
EXCEPTION: The verb VER has the regular preterite endings but the accent marks are usually omitted. -í
-imos
-iste
------
-ió
-ieron vi
vimos
viste
-----
vio
vieron

6. U group

7. Irregular verbs in the Preterite tense “U” group or “U” stem
These preterite forms have no accent marks
Verbs in this group have preterite stems containing the letter u
The endings that are added to these special stems are
The preterite of tener sometimes means got, received.
The preterite tense of saber means found out, learned ( =found out). -e
-imos
-iste
------ -o
-ieron

8. Irregular verbs in the preterite tense –U group
Andar – to walk, to go
Caber – To fit
Estar – To be
Poder -To be able to, can
Anduve
Anduvimos
Anduviste
Anduvo
anduvieron
Cupe
Cupimos
Cupiste
------
Cupo
Cupieron
Estuve
Estuvimos
Estuviste
Estuvo
Estuvieron
Pude
Pudimos
Pudiste
Pudo
Pudieron

9. Irregular verbs in the preterite tense –U group
Saber – to know
sometimes found out, learned
Poner –To put, to set
Tener – to have,
sometimes got, recieved
Puse
Pusimos
Pusiste
------
Puso
Pusieron
Supe
Supimos
Supiste
Supo
Supieron
Tuve
Tuvimos
Tuviste
Tuvo
Tuvieron

10. “i” group

11. Irregular verbs in the Preterite tense “I” group
Hacer
Hic-
Querer
Quis-
Venir
Vin-
1. Each of these three verbs have a special preterite stem
2. The preterite stems of this group contains the letter i
3. The preterite forms of these have no accent marks.
4. The ending are the same as the “U” group.
5. The third person singular of the preterite of hacer is hizo.
The c changes to z to keep the same sound before the –o ending.

12. Irregular verbs in the preterite tense –I group
Querer – To want
Venir – To come
Hacer – To do, make
Hice
Hicimos
Hiciste
Hizo
Hicieron
Quise
Quisimos
Quisiste
Quiso
Quisieron
Vine
Vinimos
Viniste
Vino
Vinieron

13. “J” group

14. Irregular verbs in the Preterite tense “J” group
1. Each of these three verbs has a special preterite stem
2. These have preterite stems that end in J. The ending –ieron becomes –eron.
Conducir
Conduj-
Decir
Dij-
Traer
Traj-

15. Irregular verbs in the preterite tense –J group
Conducir – To lead, drive
Decir – To say, tell
Traer – To bring
Conduje
Condujimos
Condujiste
Condujo
Condujeron
Dije
Dijimos
Dijiste
------
Dijo
Dijeron
Traje
Trajimos
Trajiste
Trajo
Trajeron

16. Verbs with third-person endings -YO and -YERON

17. Irregular verbs in the Preterite tense Ending in –YO and -YERON
In this group of verbs, the preterite endings of the third person singular and plural change i to Y.
In the endings of the other forms, the i bears an accent mark.

18. Irregular verbs in the preterite tense endings –YO and -YERON
Caer – To Fall
Creer – To believe
Caí
Caímos
Caíste
-----
Cayó
Cayeron
Creí
Creímos
Creíste
Creyó
Creyeron

19. Irregular verbs in the preterite tense endings –YO and -YERON
Leer – to read
Oír – To hear
Leí
Leímos
Leíste
------
Leyó
Leyeron Oí
Oímos
Oíste
-----
Oyó
Oyeron

20. Dar, Ser and Ir

21. Irregular verbs in the Preterite tense “DAR, SER and IR” group
The preterite endings of DAR are the same for the regular –ER and –IR.
The forms of di, dio, fui and fue are not accented.
The preterite forms of ir and ser are identical.
The meaning of the sentence will indicate which one.

22. Irregular verbs in the Preterite tense “DAR, SER and IR” group
To give Di
Dimos
Diste
-----
Dio
Dieron
Ser–to be and
Ir – to go (same)
Fui
Fuimos
Fuiste
------
Fue
Fueron

23. Stem changers

24. -ir verbs with stem changes in the preterite
-ir verbs that have stem changes in the present tense will also undergo stem changes in the 3rd person forms in the preterite. In these forms, the stem vowel of the infinitive changes as follows:
E becomes i
Preferir – To prefer (son)reír – to smile, to laugh
Other verbs in this group; corregir, divertirse, herir, mentir, pedir, reír (sonreír),repetir, seguir, sentir, servir and vestir.
O becomes U
Dormir – To sleep
Other verbs in this group; morir.
Preferí
Preferimos
Preferiste
Prefirió
Prefirieron
(son)reí
(son)reímos
(son)reíste
(son)rió
(son)rieron
Dormí
Dormimos
Dormiste
Durmió
Durmieron

25. Expressing “Ago” in Spanish
Ago is Hace Which is used with the preterite tense:
I saw her two hours ago. la vi hace dos horas.
Hace dos horas que la vi.
They arrived a week ago. Llegaron hace una semana.
Hace una semana que llegaron.