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Pretérito imperfecto vs. pretérito indefinido (Ayer, el mes pasado, durante, muchas veces,...)

Brief explanation on the use of temporal expressions with the imperfect and simple past tenses.

Gramática: Pretérito imperfecto vs. pretérito indefinido (Ayer, el mes pasado, durante, muchas veces,...)

A2 Spanish Time expressions: the imperfect past and the preterite

Level: A2

Module 2: El buen pasado (The good old past)

Lesson 13: A través de las décadas (Through the decades)

Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Audio and video

Audio with translations
Audio with translations

  1. We use "anteriormente", "durante", "a menudo", "muchas veces" with the imperfect past tense.
  2. We use "el mes pasado", "ayer", "la semana pasada" with the past simple.
  3. Some expressions are used with both tenses. For example "en el siglo", "en los años".
ExpresiónEjemplo
A menudoA menudo la gente usaba ropa de muchos colores. (Often people wore clothes of many colours.)
AnteriormenteAnteriormente las personas se vestían de una manera diferente. (Previously, people dressed in a different way.)
DuranteDurante el siglo pasado la gente vivía de manera diferente. (During the past century people lived differently.)
Muchas vecesMuchas veces la gente disfrutaba de la vida en diferentes fiestas. (Many times people enjoyed life at different parties.)
En el sigloEn el siglo XX la moda era diferente de la de ahora. (In the 20th century fashion was different from now.)
En los añosEn los años 90 la moda cambió mucho. (In the 90s, fashion changed a lot.)
AyerAyer nos divertimos mucho en la casa de Ana. (Yesterday we had a lot of fun at Ana's house.)
El mes pasadoEl mes pasado la gente se divirtió mucho en la fiesta. (Last month people had a lot of fun at the party.)
La semana pasadaLa semana pasada fuimos a un evento de moda. (Last week we went to a fashion event.)

Exercise 1: Pretérito imperfecto vs. pretérito indefinido (Ayer, el mes pasado, durante, muchas veces,...)

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Durante, Anteriormente, En ese periodo, En esa época, Muchas veces, En la década, La década, En los años

1.
... de los 80 la música era muy diferente a la de ahora.
(In the 1980s, music was very different from what it is now.)
2.
... la moda también cambió mucho.
(During that period fashion also changed a lot.)
3.
... la gente se vestía de una manera muy diferente. Era una época especial.
(At that time, people dressed in a very different way. It was a special time.)
4.
... la moda era muy diferente de la actual.
(Previously, fashion was very different from the current one.)
5.
... de los 70 fue muy importante para la moda y la música.
(The 1970s were very important for fashion and music.)
6.
... la gente prefería divertirse en casa y no salir. Esas veces siempre eran increíbles.
(Many times people preferred to have fun at home and not go out. Those times were always incredible.)
7.
... el festival la gente se divertía mucho con los bailes tradicionales.
(During the festival, people were having a lot of fun with the traditional dances.)
8.
... 90 la moda era un tema muy popular.
(In the 90s, fashion was a very popular topic.)

Exercise 2: Translate and use in a sentence

Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.

1

En ese periodo

During that period

2

En la década

In the decade

3

Anteriormente

Previously

4

En esa época

In those days

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