- The simple past is used for actions that occurred and finished at a specific moment in the past.
- The imperfect past tense is used to describe habitual actions, situations, and states in the past.
- The present perfect is used for past actions that have relevance in the present or are still current.
| Tiempo verbal (Verbal tense) | Regla (Rule) | Ejemplo (Example) |
|---|---|---|
| Pretérito imperfecto | Acciones en progreso o habituales en el pasado (Actions in progress or habitual in the past) | Cuando era joven, el presidente gobernaba con su ministro. (When I was young, the president governed with his minister.) |
| Pretérito indefinido | Acciones completadas en el pasado (Completed actions in the past) | En 2010, la princesa visitó el parlamento. (In 2010, the princess visited the parliament.) |
| Pretérito perfecto | Acciones pasadas que afectan el presente (Past actions that affect the present) | Esta semana, he votado en las elecciones del gobierno. (This week, I have voted in the government elections.) |
Exercise 1: Los tiempos del pasado (resumen)
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
hemos reservado, elegí, votaron, fuimos, Visité, trabajaba, votaba, votabas
1.
Votar:
Tú ... cada año en las elecciones.
(You used to vote every year in the elections.)
2.
Elegir:
El año pasado, ... a mi representante en el parlamento.
(Last year, I elected my representative in parliament.)
3.
Ir:
Nosotros ... a la sede electoral el domingo pasado.
(We went to the polling station last Sunday.)
4.
Trabajar:
El gobierno ... todos los días para el país.
(The government worked every day for the country.)
5.
Votar:
Cuando era joven, ... por diferentes partidos políticos.
(When I was young, I used to vote for different political parties.)
6.
Visitar (yo):
... varias oficinas electorales en la ciudad la semana pasada.
(I visited several electoral offices in the city last week.)
7.
Votar:
Ellos ... en las últimas elecciones.
(They voted in the last elections.)
8.
Reservar (nosotros):
Hoy, ... el lugar para votar.
(Today, we have booked the place to vote.)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: N/A