Spanish Preterite vs Imperfect exercises
Practise with the song. Listen to Sol and type the missing words, then choose the right form. The answers and explanations are at the bottom.
Pretérito
Once, it happened and it's done
“y de repente llamó mi jefe”
Imperfecto
The background, what was going on, or a habit
“Antes iba al gimnasio cada día”
Step 1
Hear it, then type it
This exercise uses the song itself, so it opens when the song is out on Wed 7 Oct, 16:00 UK.
Step 2
Choose the right form
Once, or going on in the background? Choose the preterite or the imperfect.
1. en la ducha a las siete,
I was in the shower at seven,
2.y de repente mi jefe.
and suddenly my boss called.
3. con Ana en un bar,
I was talking to Ana in a bar,
4.cuando su ex y nos vio.
when her ex arrived and saw us.
5.Antes al gimnasio cada día,
I used to go to the gym every day,
6.pero el mes pasado solo una vez.
but last month I only went once.
7. siempre hasta las diez,
I always used to work until ten,
8.pero un día : ¡Basta ya!
but one day I said: That's enough!
0 of 8 answered
Answers
Choose the right form
- Estaba en la ducha a las siete,What was going on at seven, the background: the imperfect, estaba.
- y de repente llamó mi jefe.“De repente”, suddenly: it happened once and cut in. The preterite, llamó.
- Hablaba con Ana en un bar,Going on when something else happened: the imperfect, hablaba.
- cuando llegó su ex y nos vio.One event that interrupts the scene: the preterite, llegó.
- Antes iba al gimnasio cada día,“Antes… cada día”: a habit, so the imperfect, iba.
- pero el mes pasado fui solo una vez.“Una vez”, once: the preterite, fui.
- Trabajaba siempre hasta las diez,“Siempre”, always: a habit, the imperfect, trabajaba.
- pero un día dije: ¡Basta ya!“Un día”: one moment, the preterite. Dije is irregular, so no accent.
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