Spanish I - Narration in the Past - Quick Guides

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Study GuideSpanish I–Narration in the Past1. Quiz: Verbs That Change Meaning in the Preterite1.QuestionYo got un carro magnífico cuando cumplí 16 años.Answer Choices•Tuve•teníaCorrect AnswerteníaWhy This Is CorrectIn this sentence, "tenía" is the correct choice because it is the imperfect tense, which describes anaction or state that was ongoing or habitual in the past. The phrase "cuando cumplí 16 años" impliesthat the speaker had the car over a period of time around their 16th birthday, so the imperfect tense isappropriate."Tuve" would be incorrect because it is the preterite tense, used for actions that are viewed ascompleted or specific in time, which doesn’t fit the context of an ongoing state.2.QuestionPilarmeta su nueva profesora ayer.Answer Choices•conoció•conocía

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Study GuideCorrect AnswerconocióWhy This Is CorrectThe verb "conoció" is in the preteritetense, which is used to describe actions that were completed inthe past. Since the sentence indicates that Pilar met her new teacher yesterday, this is a one-timeevent, which calls for the preterite tense. On the other hand, "conocía" is in the imperfect tense, whichwould describe actions that were habitual or ongoing in the past.3.QuestionPor fin los muchachos ___ comprar un boleto para el concierto.Answer Choices•pudieron•podíanCorrect AnswerpudieronWhy This Is CorrectThecorrect answeris "pudieron," as it is the preterite tense of the verb "poder," used to express anaction completed in the past. In this case, the sentence indicates that the boys succeeded in buyingthe ticket, which is a completed action."Podían" is the imperfect tense, which would suggest an ongoing or habitual action in the past, not acompleted one.4.QuestionNosotrosknew que la película empezó tarde.

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Study GuideAnswer Choices•supimos•sabíamosCorrect AnswersabíamosWhy This Is CorrectThe verb "sabíamos" is the correct choice because it is the imperfect form of "saber," which expressesongoing or habitual actions in the past. "Sabíamos" means "we knew" in a general sense, implyingthat the knowledge was ongoing or not confined to a single event.On the other hand, "supimos" (the preterite form) would indicate that the action of knowing wascompleted at a specific point in the past.5.QuestionGraciela refused to train with the volleyball team.Answer Choices•no quiso•no queríaCorrect Answerno quisoWhy This Is CorrectThecorrect answeris "no quiso," as the verb "quiso" (the preterite form of "querer") indicates aspecific action that was refused or declined at a particular point in the past. "No quería" would be usedto express an ongoing or habitual refusal in the past, but in this case, the action is a specific instance.

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Study Guide6.QuestionTúwantedir con tus amigos, ¿verdad?Answer Choices•quisiste•queríasCorrect AnswerqueríasWhy This Is CorrectThe correct choice is "querías" because it uses the imperfect tense, which expresses an ongoing orhabitual action in the past. In this case, you're asking about a situation that was likely continuous orhabitual, like a desire to do something with friends. "Quisiste" (preterite tense)would be used for acompleted action, which doesn’t fit the context here.For example:•Querías ir(you wanted to go) implies you were in a state of wanting, possibly for an extendedperiod.•Quisiste ir(you wanted to go) implies a specific, completed instance of wanting.7.QuestionPedro knew muy bien a esa actriz.Answer Choices•conoció•conocíaCorrect Answerconocía

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Study GuideWhy This Is CorrectThe verb "conocía" is the imperfect tense of "conocer," which is used to describe actions that wereongoing or habitual in the past, or to give background information. In this case, it suggests that Pedrohad an ongoing familiarity with the actress in the past.For example:Pedroconocíamuy bien a esa actriz, meaning he knew her well over a period of time.8.QuestionYo found out quién ganó la carrera.Answer Choices•supe•sabíaCorrect AnswersupeWhy This Is Correct"Supe" is the correct form because it refers to a specific moment in the past when the speaker learnedthe information (preterite tense)."Sabía" would be used in a more general, habitual context or to describe background knowledge inthe past, but here, the action of finding out is a one-time event.2. Preterite-Imperfect FormulasIn Spanish, the preteriteand imperfect tenses are often used together in the same sentence. Whilethis might seem tricky at first, there are easy sentence structures (or formulas) you can learn to makeit simpler. To connect two verbs in the past tense, you’ll need two importantwords:mientras(while)andcuando(when). It's important to remember thatcuandodoesn’t have an accent mark unless it’sused as a question word.

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Study Guide2.1Both Verbs in the Imperfect TenseWhenmientrasis used to show two ongoing actions happening together, both verbs will be in theimperfect tense. This means that neither action interrupts the other, and both are happening at thesame time.•Formula:Imperfect +mientras+ Imperfect•Example:Ellos secaban los platos mientras yo los lavaba.•(They were drying the dishes while I was washing them.)2.2One Verb in the Preterite and the Other in the ImperfectWhenmientrasconnects an action in progress with an action that interrupts it, the verb in thepreterite interrupts the ongoing action in the imperfect.•Formula:Preterite +mientras+ Imperfect•Example:Samuel llamó mientras tú estudiabas.•(Samuel called while you were studying.)Notice that you can flip the sentence order and it still makes sense. Whethermientrascomes in themiddle or the beginning, the verb in the imperfect will show the ongoing action, and the verb in thepreterite will show the interrupting action.•Formula:Mientras+ Imperfect, Preterite•Example:Mientras tú estudiabas, Samuel llamó.•(While you were studying, Samuel called.)2.3Joining Verbs with "Cuando" (When)Cuandois another word that helps link actions in the past. It usually comes with the preterite tensebecause it points to a specific moment when something happened. In many cases, one verb is in theimperfect (showing an ongoing action) and the other is in thepreterite (showing something thatinterrupts or happens at a specific time).One Verb in the Imperfect and One in the PreteriteWhencuandoconnects an ongoing action with a moment in time (the preterite), the verb aftercuandowill be in the preterite.

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Study Guide•Formula:Imperfect +cuando+ Preterite•Example:Alicia trabajaba cuando yo entré en la oficina.•(Alicia was working when I entered the office.)Just like withmientras, the order of the sentence can be switched, butcuandowill always befollowed by a verb in the preterite.•Formula:Cuando+ Preterite, Imperfect•Example:Cuando yo entré en la oficina, Alicia trabajaba.•(When I entered the office, Alicia was working.)Whencuandois at the beginning, a comma will separate it from the imperfect verb that follows.2.4Two Verbs in the PreteriteIn some cases,cuandois used to connect two actions that happened at the same time or one actionthat caused the other. Both verbs will be in the preterite tense.•Formula:Preterite +cuando+ Preterite•Example:Carlos me llamó cuando él llegó.•(Carlos called me when he arrived.)•Yo grité cuando vi al fantasma.•(I screamed when I saw the ghost.)You can also flip the order of these sentences, just remember to put a comma between the two verbs.•Formula:Cuando+ Preterite, Preterite•Example:Cuando él llegó, Carlos me llamó.•(When he arrived, Carlos called me.)•Cuando vi al fantasma, yo grité.•(When I saw the ghost, I screamed.)

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Study GuideSummary•Mientrasis used to connect two actions happening at the same time. If both verbs describeongoing actions, use the imperfect tense for both. If one action interrupts another, theinterrupting action is in the preterite.•Cuandois mostly followed by the preterite to point to a specific moment. If it's connecting anongoing action and an interrupting action, the imperfect comes first. But when two completedactions are happening at the same time, both verbs are in the preterite.3. Quiz: Preterite-Imperfect Formulas1.QuestionMientras yo _____ en el parque, la lluvia empezó.Answer Choices•corrí•corríaCorrect AnswercorríaWhy This Is CorrectIn this sentence, the verb "corría" is correct because the action is described in the imperfect tense,which is used to describe actions that were ongoing in the past or habitual actions.The context of the sentence suggests that the action of running in the park was happening when therain started, which is why the imperfect tense (corría) is used.2.QuestionBeatriz estudiaba su vocabulario mientras su hermana _____ su tarea.

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