Speaking in the past can be tricky in Spanish, especially because there are two past tenses. The videos below will first help you to form the past tenses and begin using them in context. Then we will explore the differences between these two tenses and more specifics on when to use them.
If this is tricky for you, don’t worry! Differentiating between the past tenses takes a lot of time and exposure to the Spanish language before it comes easily. So just keep reading!
The above video will show you the past tense endings for AR verbs, as well as introduce the irregular verb “ir”. After watching, give formation a go with this practice, then check your work.
Now that you have learned the -AR endings, discover the -ER/-IR endings with the above video. For some practice, check here, and then go over your answers.
The above video explains how to take a regular -AR verb and change it to the past (preterit) tense. See how much you learned with this practice and then check your work.
Now that you have seen how to conjugate -AR verbs, check out -ER and -IR verbs with the above video. Afterwards, practice and check your work.
The Spanish preterit tense can be very tricky. There are a lot of irregulares and verbs that just change one letter – but only for certain subjects. Learn about those verbs with spelling changes in this video. Check out this practice and answer key. But also realize that it takes a while to internalize these rules, so be patient with yourself!
These irregulares follow their own rules. Continued reading and practice will help you master them. Here is a practice for you to try and then you can check the answers.
Even more irregulares means even more practice! Check your answers afterwards.
This practice is designed to help you begin to differentiate between the tenses and recognize the basics of which tense to use. Check your work and see where you need to make improvements.
You can continue your practice of the two past tenses with this worksheet. It is designed to help you identify the differences. If you get stuck, please check out the answer sheet for explanations in addition to answers.
