When do I use the preterite tense?

The preterite is used to talk about completed actions in the past. Below are listed several specific situations that require the preterite.

1. Completed events

   • Yo leí el libro ayer. (I read the book yesterday.)

   • Ella habló con Patrick. (She spoke with Patrick.)

2. Beginnings and Endings

   • La pelicula empezó a las nueve. (The movie started at nine.)

   • La cancion acabó cuando aprendaron la luz. (The song ended when they turned on the lights.)

   • Some important verbs to remember for talking about beginnings and endings

     1. empezar = to begin

     2. comenzar = to begin

     3. terminar = to finish

     4. acabar = to end

3. Specific times and dates

   • Yo salí el once de marzo. (I left March eleventh.)

   • Ellos regresaron ayer a las diez. (The returned yesterday at ten.)

4. Events in a sequence

   • Fuimos al restaurante, comimos, bebimos, y regresamos. (We went to the restaurant, we ate, we drank, and we returned.)

   • Él escribió la carta, fue a la oficia de correos, y envió a ella. (He wrote the letter, went to the post office, and sent it to her.)