Pretérito Indefinido vs Imperfecto: How Does the Past Work?
Understand completed events, habitual backgrounds and narrative perspective in Spanish.
ES003 · ES · A2 / B1 · tenses, conjugation
The question
What's the difference between Ayer llovió and Ayer llovía?
The pretérito indefinido (often called the preterite) typically presents a past event as a whole: Ayer llovió ('It rained yesterday'). The imperfecto describes an ongoing scene, habit, or background: Llovía cuando salí ('It was raining when I left'). The same action can be framed differently.
Two past viewpoints
| Situation | Spanish | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Completed event | Ayer compré un libro. | Yesterday I bought a book. |
| Past habit | De niño, jugaba aquí. | As a child, I used to play here. |
| Background | La calle estaba vacía. | The street was empty. |
| Event within a scene | Leía cuando sonó el teléfono. | I was reading when the phone rang. |
Not every long past event requires the imperfect: Viví allí durante diez años presents a ten-year period as a completed whole. Conversely, short repeated events can use the imperfect: Cada día abría la puerta. The difference is how the speaker presents the event, not only its duration.
Common mistake
Avoid assuming that ayer always requires the preterite: Ayer hacía frío is natural when describing yesterday's weather as background. Also distinguish regional uses of the present perfect from this aspect contrast.
Remember
Use the preterite for a past event viewed as complete, and the imperfect for habits and ongoing or descriptive background.