Spanish Preterite vs Imperfect

Completed actions with a clear beginning or end, single events, and sequences of events. Ayer comí paella. Llegué, cené y me acosté.

Background, descriptions, habits (used to), ongoing actions, age, time and feelings in the past. De niño, vivía en el campo. Eran las ocho.

Ongoing action = imperfect; the interruption = preterite. Leía cuando sonó el teléfono.

ayer, anoche, el año pasado, una vez, de repente, en 2010

siempre, todos los días, a menudo, de niño, mientras, normalmente

Yesterday I went to the doctor. Single completed event → preterite (ir).

As a child, I used to go to the beach every summer. Habit → imperfect (ir).

Last night we watched a movie. Completed event → preterite (ver).

It was ten at night. Time in the past → imperfect (ser).

When I was five, I lived in Quito. Age in the past → imperfect (tener).

It was raining hard and it was cold. Background description → imperfect (llover).

While I was cooking, my brother arrived. Ongoing action → imperfect (cocinar).

While I was cooking, my brother arrived. Interrupting event → preterite (llegar).

Last year I traveled to Argentina. Completed event → preterite (viajar).

My grandmother always used to sing in the kitchen. Habit → imperfect (cantar).

Suddenly, it started to rain. Sudden event → preterite (empezar).

I was in Lima for three weeks. A bounded period that is over → preterite (estar).

The house was big and had a garden. Description → imperfect (ser).

They did the homework and went out. Sequence of completed actions → preterite (hacer).

I didn't know the answer. Mental state → imperfect (saber).

Yesterday I found out the truth. saber in the preterite means found out.

I met my girlfriend in 2019. conocer in the preterite means met for the first time.