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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