Spanish Past Tenses Guide
Master the four essential Spanish past tenses with clear explanations, examples, and practice tips. Learn when and how to use each tense correctly.
The Four Spanish Past Tenses
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Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto
Past Perfect
Actions that happened before another past action
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Pretérito Imperfecto
Imperfect Past
Ongoing, habitual, or background actions in the past
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Pretérito Indefinido
Simple Past
Completed actions in the past with no connection to the present
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Pretérito Perfecto
Present Perfect
Actions completed recently or with relevance to the present
Key Differences
Completed vs Ongoing
Pretérito Indefinido: Completed actions with specific beginning and end
Pretérito Imperfecto: Ongoing, habitual, or background actions
Time Relationships
Pretérito Perfecto: Recent past with present relevance
Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto: Action before another past action
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