The main rule
An event that moves the story on, or a closed period of time: indefinido (sonó, viví dos años). Background, description, an action in progress or a habit: imperfecto (estaba, cocinaba, iba). An experience up to now, and in Spain hoy, esta semana, este año: perfecto (he comido).
The three views side by side
| Tense | Use | Typical markers | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| indefinido | a finished event, one step of the story, a closed period | de repente, un día, una vez, ayer, a las tres, durante dos años | Llegué a las tres. |
| imperfecto | background, description, time, age, an action in progress, a habit | mientras, todos los días, siempre, de niño, antes | Llovía y yo estaba en casa. |
| perfecto | an experience up to now; today or this week (mainly Spain) | alguna vez, nunca, ya, hoy, esta semana | Hoy he comido paella. |
What is different from English
English has one simple past for everything: "I was at home", "the phone rang". It adds "was doing", "used to" and "would" when it wants a scene or a habit. Spanish builds that into a verb form: "I used to go" and "I was going" are both iba, while "I went" as a finished event is fui. So ask what the verb does in the story: does it move it forward (indefinido), or does it describe the situation around it (imperfecto)?
The English present perfect does not match the Spanish perfecto one to one. Both use it for experiences (¿Has estado alguna vez en Sevilla?, "Have you ever been to Seville?"). But Spain also uses it for a finished action earlier today, where English takes the simple past: Esta mañana he desayunado en casa is "I had breakfast at home this morning". And for "I have lived here for years" Spanish usually takes the present, not the perfecto.
Examples
- Estaba en casa cuando sonó el teléfono. I was at home when the phone rang.
- Mientras cocinaba, de repente se fue la luz. While I was cooking, suddenly the lights went out.
- De niña iba a la playa todos los veranos. As a child she went (used to go) to the beach every summer.
- Viví dos años en Lima. I lived in Lima for two years.
- Eran las diez y llovía. It was ten o'clock and it was raining.
- Un día llegó una carta de mi tío. One day a letter came from my uncle.
- Mi abuelo tenía ochenta años y leía el periódico cada mañana. My grandfather was eighty and read the paper every morning.
- Ayer fuimos al cine y vimos una película. Yesterday we went to the cinema and saw a film.
- ¿Has estado alguna vez en Sevilla? Have you ever been to Seville?
Background and event in one story
A story usually needs both. The imperfecto paints the scene and the indefinido says what happened in it. Cuando and de repente often introduce the event: Caminaba por el parque cuando vi a Ana. With mientras, the verb is usually in the imperfecto because the action is going on: Mientras comíamos, sonó el timbre. The doorbell is a single event, so it takes the indefinido.
Habits against one-off events
A repeated action in the past takes the imperfecto, with markers such as todos los días, siempre, normalmente, cada domingo, antes, de niño: De niño jugaba al fútbol todos los días. A single occasion takes the indefinido, with un día, una vez, aquel día: Un día jugué con mi primo. Do not turn a habit into an indefinido just because it ended: with "used to" or "would" in English, think imperfecto.
Durante and a closed period
When a period has a stated, closed length, Spanish usually takes the indefinido, even if the situation lasted a long time: Viví dos años en Lima, Estudié durante tres horas. The number of years or hours closes the period like a full stop. A habit inside a frame such as de niño or antes stays in the imperfecto: Antes corría todas las mañanas.
The perfecto: Spain and Latin America
The perfecto (he comido) is for experiences up to now (¿Has viajado alguna vez en tren?). For a period that includes the present (hoy, esta mañana, esta semana, este año), Spain usually uses the perfecto: Hoy he comido paella. Most of Latin America uses the indefinido: Hoy comí paella. Both are standard. With ayer, anoche or el año pasado every variety uses the indefinido: Ayer comí paella.
Ask the story question
Before you choose, ask: is this a step in the story, or the setting around it? A step (arrived, rang, said) is the indefinido. A setting (it was raining, she was tired, we used to go) is the imperfecto. Markers help, but the role in the story decides.
Common mistakes
De niño fui a la playa cada verano.De niño iba a la playa cada verano. a habit ("used to") is imperfectoVivía dos años en Lima.Viví dos años en Lima. two years is a closed periodEstuve en casa cuando sonó el teléfono.Estaba en casa cuando sonó el teléfono. being at home is the backgroundUn día llegaba una carta.Un día llegó una carta. un día points to a single eventEran las diez y llovió.Eran las diez y llovía. weather is the scene around the eventAyer he comido paella.Ayer comí paella. ayer closes the period, so indefinidoHe visitado Madrid en 2019.Visité Madrid en 2019. a dated year is a closed past
Frequently asked questions
When do I use the imperfect and when the preterite in Spanish?
Use the preterite (indefinido) for a finished event or a closed period, and the imperfecto for background, description, time, age, an action in progress or a habit. Many stories use both.
Is "used to" always the imperfecto?
Almost always: "used to" and the habitual "would" ("we would go every summer") are the imperfecto: Íbamos cada verano. The same form also covers "was going".
Why is it Viví dos años en Lima and not Vivía?
Because the length is stated and the period is closed. With a number of years, hours or days, Spanish usually takes the indefinido: Viví dos años en Lima.
What is the difference between pretérito perfecto and indefinido?
The perfecto (he comido) links the action to now: experiences, and in Spain hoy or esta semana. The indefinido (comí) is for a closed past: ayer, el año pasado, en 2019.
Is Hoy comí paella wrong?
No. Most of Latin America says Hoy comí paella, and Spain usually says Hoy he comido paella. Both are correct, while Ayer he comido is not.
Can the same verb be imperfecto or indefinido?
Yes, and the choice can change the meaning, as with estaba (a state) and estuve (a closed stay). A few verbs, such as conocer or saber, change meaning more sharply; they come later in the course.