🔹El Pretérito INDEFINIDO🔹

Summary

In this video, Vicente explains the use of the Spanish **pretérito indefinido** tense, focusing on regular and irregular verb conjugations. He provides examples with verbs like *hablar*, *aprender*, and *vivir*, and introduces tricky irregular roots like *quis-* (querer), *sup-* (saber), and *tuv-* (tener). Vicente emphasizes when to use **pretérito indefinido** to describe completed past actions with no present connection, contrasting it with **pretérito imperfecto**. He also shares a personal story of his Erasmus experience, practicing the tense. Viewers are encouraged to visit his blog for more resources and tips.

Takeaways

• 😀 The 'pretérito indefinido' is used to describe actions that happened in the past and are completed with no relation to the present.
• 😀 Regular verbs in 'pretérito indefinido' follow specific conjugation patterns, such as '-é' for the first person singular in 'ar' verbs like 'hablé'.
• 😀 Irregular verbs in the 'pretérito indefinido' have unique roots that need to be memorized, such as 'quis-' for 'querer' and 'sup-' for 'saber'.
• 😀 Time markers like 'ayer' (yesterday), 'la semana pasada' (last week), and 'el mes pasado' (last month) help identify when to use the 'pretérito indefinido'.
• 😀 The 'pretérito indefinido' is also used for actions that occurred multiple times in the past, unlike the 'pretérito imperfecto,' which refers to habitual actions.
• 😀 The 'pretérito imperfecto' describes ongoing actions in the past or habitual actions, not actions that are completed or repeated in specific instances.
• 😀 The 'pretérito indefinido' is often used in storytelling to move the narrative forward, as in 'viajé,' 'conocí,' and 'hice' to describe actions in the past.
• 😀 The conjugation of regular verbs in the 'pretérito indefinido' is the same for both 'er' and 'ir' verbs, with forms like 'viví' and 'aprendí'.
• 😀 Irregular verbs can be tricky to memorize, but understanding their specific roots makes conjugation easier, such as 'tuve' for 'tener' and 'pude' for 'poder'.
• 😀 The speaker encourages viewers to practice with examples from their own lives, like describing past vacations, to reinforce the use of the 'pretérito indefinido'.

Q & A

What is the pretérito indefinido in Spanish?

The pretérito indefinido is a verb tense used to describe actions that happened in the past, are completed, and have no direct relation to the present. It is used to narrate events that are seen as finished or isolated in time.

How does the pretérito indefinido differ from the pretérito imperfecto?

The pretérito indefinido is used for specific, completed actions in the past, while the pretérito imperfecto is used for habitual actions or actions that were ongoing in the past. The pretérito indefinido focuses on actions that interrupt or move a story forward.

When should the pretérito indefinido be used?

It should be used to talk about past actions that are completed, events that occurred at a specific point in time, and actions that are disconnected from the present. It is also used for repeated actions in the past and when describing actions that interrupt another ongoing event.

Can you provide an example of when to use the pretérito indefinido?

An example is 'Ayer visité a mis padres' (Yesterday, I visited my parents). This is a completed action that occurred in the past with no ongoing connection to the present.

What are the regular conjugation patterns for the pretérito indefinido?

Regular verbs in the pretérito indefinido are conjugated in three groups: -AR verbs (e.g., *hablar* – yo hablé), -ER verbs (e.g., *aprender* – yo aprendí), and -IR verbs (e.g., *vivir* – yo viví). Each group follows a specific pattern for conjugation.

What are some examples of irregular verbs in the pretérito indefinido?

Some examples of irregular verbs include 'querer' (quis-), 'saber' (sup-), and 'tener' (tuv-). These verbs change their stems in the pretérito indefinido and follow different conjugation patterns.

Why are irregular verbs considered difficult in the pretérito indefinido?

Irregular verbs are difficult because they do not follow the regular conjugation patterns. Instead, they have unique stems that must be memorized, making them harder to learn and apply.

What are temporal markers, and how do they help with the pretérito indefinido?

Temporal markers are time expressions like 'ayer' (yesterday), 'el mes pasado' (last month), or 'en 2010' (in 2010) that indicate a specific time in the past. These markers help identify when to use the pretérito indefinido by clarifying that the action is completed and occurred at a specific point in time.

What is a common mistake learners make when using the pretérito indefinido?

A common mistake is confusing the pretérito indefinido with the pretérito imperfecto. The imperfecto is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, while the indefinido is used for specific, completed events.

Can you explain how the pretérito indefinido is used in storytelling?

In storytelling, the pretérito indefinido is used to advance the narrative by describing events that have already been completed. For example, 'Fui a Letonia' (I went to Latvia) and 'viajé mucho' (I traveled a lot) describe actions that push the story forward and are finished.