Preterite or imperfect?
CAPITALIZED WORDS
Hace muchos años, HAY (1) una muchacha que se LLAMA (2) Cenicienta. Ella VIVE (3) en una casa con sus dos hermanastras feas y su madrastra. En el mismo país, HAY (4) un joven príncipe. Él TIENE (5) 19 años y ES (6) soltero. Él QUIERE (7) casarse. El príncipe DECIDE (8) tener un gran baile al cual VA (9) a invitar a todas las mujeres de su reinado. Las dos hermanastras y la madrastra RECIBEN(10) sus invitaciones e inmediatamente EMPIEZAN (11) a hacer sus trajes elegantes para el baile. Pero, cuando Cenicienta les PREGUNTA (12) si ella PUEDE (13) ir al baile también, las malas mujeres le DICEN (14) que no.
Poco después, las tres mujeres VAN (15) al baile. Cenicienta EMPIEZA(16) a llorar. De repente, la pobre chica VE (17) a un hada madrina muy bonita. Ella le PREGUNTA (18) a Cenicienta por qué LLORA (19). Cenicienta le EXPLICA (20) su tristeza. En aquel instante, el hada madrina AGITA (21) su varita mágica. La ropa vieja y deshecha de Cenicienta se CONVIERTE (22) a un traje muy elegante. Luego, ella se MIRA (23) los pies. Ahora, ella LLEVA (24) unos zapatos de cristal. La única cosa que TIENE (25) que hacer ES (26) regresar a su casa antes de la medianoche.
Cenicienta VA (27) al baile y BAILA (28) con el príncipe. Algunas horas después, la chica se da CUENTA (29) de la hora. Ella SALE (30) rápidamente del baile. Mientras CORRE (31), ella PIERDE (32) uno de sus zapatos de cristal.
El joven príncipe CREE (33) que Cenicienta ES (34) muy bonita y QUIERE (35) casarse con ella. Él la BUSCA (36) por todo su reinado. Por fin, el príncipe LLEGA (37) a la casa de Cenicienta. Las dos hermanastras TRATAN (38) de ponerse el zapato. No TIENEN(39) éxito. Luego, el príncipe le DA (40) el zapato a Cenicienta para ponérselo. ¡Qué suerte! El príncipe ENCUENTRA (41) a la chica que PIERDE(42) el zapato de cristal. Él se PONE(43) muy feliz. Ellos se CASAN(44) y los dos VIVEN(45) muy felices juntos
In the given text, both the preterite and imperfect tenses are used. Here's a breakdown of which tense is used for each verb and why.
1. HAY - imperfect: This is used to express the existence of the girl in the past. The imperfect tense is often used for ongoing or repeated actions in the past.
2. LLAMA - preterite: This verb refers to a specific action of the girl's name being called. The preterite tense is used for completed actions in the past.
3. VIVE - imperfect: This verb describes the girl's ongoing action of living in a house. The imperfect is used to express ongoing actions or states in the past.
4. HAY - imperfect: Similar to the first usage, this verb describes the existence of the prince in the past.
5. TIENE - preterite: Referring to the prince's age, this verb represents a specific action of him having a certain age in the past.
6. ES - imperfect: Describing the prince's marital status, this verb expresses an ongoing state of being single in the past.
7. QUIERE - preterite: This verb indicates the prince's desire to get married, which is a specific action in the past.
8. DECIDE - preterite: The prince's decision to have a grand ball is presented as a specific action in the past.
9. VA - preterite: This verb shows the prince's action of going or inviting to the ball, which happened in the past.
10. RECIBEN - preterite: The hermanastras and madrastra receiving the invitations is a specific action.
11. EMPIEZAN - preterite: The hermanastras and madrastra starting to make their elegant dresses is described as a specific action in the past.
12. PREGUNTA - preterite: Cenicienta's asking if she can go to the ball is a specific action.
13. PUEDE - preterite: Cenicienta's ability to go to the ball is expressed as a specific action.
14. DICEN - preterite: The response of the hermanastras and madrastra to Cenicienta is a specific action.
15. VAN - preterite: The three women going to the ball is a specific action.
16. EMPIEZA - preterite: Cenicienta's starting to cry is expressed as a specific action.
17. VE - preterite: The sudden appearance of the fairy godmother and Cenicienta seeing her is a specific action.
18. PREGUNTA - preterite: The fairy godmother asking Cenicienta why she is crying is a specific action.
19. LLORA - imperfect: This verb describes Cenicienta's ongoing action of crying.
20. EXPLICA - preterite: Cenicienta explaining her sadness is a specific action.
21. AGITA - preterite: The fairy godmother waving her magic wand is a specific action.
22. CONVIERTE - preterite: Cenicienta's old and tattered clothes being transformed into an elegant dress is a specific action.
23. MIRA - preterite: Cenicienta looking at her feet is a specific action.
24. LLEVA - preterite: Cenicienta putting on the glass slippers is a specific action.
25. TIENE - present (not preterite or imperfect): This verb refers to the current possession of the shoes by Cenicienta.
26. ES - present (not preterite or imperfect): This verb expresses the requirement or obligation of Cenicienta to return home before midnight.
27. VA - preterite: Cenicienta going to the ball is a specific action.
28. BAILA - preterite: Cenicienta dancing with the prince is a specific action.
29. DA CUENTA - preterite: Cenicienta realizing the time is a specific action.
30. SALE - preterite: Cenicienta leaving the ball quickly is a specific action.
31. CORRE - preterite: Cenicienta's action of running is specific.
32. PIERDE - preterite: Cenicienta losing one of her glass slippers is a specific action.
33. CREE - preterite: The prince's belief in Cenicienta's beauty is expressed as a specific action.
34. ES - present (not preterite or imperfect): This verb still describes Cenicienta's current state of being beautiful.
35. QUIERE - preterite: The prince's desire to marry her is a specific action.
36. BUSCA - preterite: The prince searching for Cenicienta is a specific action.
37. LLEGA - preterite: The prince arriving at Cenicienta's house is a specific action.
38. TRATAN - preterite: The hermanastras attempting to put on the shoe is a specific action.
39. TIENEN - preterite: The hermanastras not succeeding in putting on the shoe is a specific action.
40. DA - preterite: The prince giving the shoe to Cenicienta is a specific action.
41. ENCUENTRA - preterite: The prince finding the girl who lost the glass slipper is a specific action.
42. PIERDE - preterite: The girl losing the glass slipper is a specific action.
43. PONE - preterite: The prince putting on the slipper is a specific action.
44. CASAN - preterite: The marriage between Cenicienta and the prince is presented as a specific action.
45. VIVEN - present (not preterite or imperfect): This verb describes their current state of living happily together.
In summary, the preterite tense is used for specific actions that happened in the past, while the imperfect tense is used for ongoing or repeated actions in the past. The present tense is used for describing current states or actions that are not related to the past events.
Just a minute! I see no effort on your part to select either the Preterit or the Imperfect! We HELP but we do not DO the work for you. YOU MUST CHOOSE. Let me give you a brief "review" of the difference between the Preterit and the Imperrect, because the difference is essential in story telling in Spanish.
This was always my favorite thing to teach. The difference makes Spanish so rich.
The Preterit is to show an action that had both a beginning and an end. Imagine a series of photos: he got up / he got washed / he got dressed / he ate breakfast / he left the house. / / / /
Here you have a series of events, each one begun and completed. The English meanings are like: he washed, he DID wash
The Imperfect on the other hand concentrates on the middle of something. Imagine a movie camera grinding away: he was getting up = obviously he began to get up but as far as we know he as never finished that. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ (to show something was going on. The English meanings would be: he was getting up, he used to get up (repeated action over and over), he got up. The tertiary (third) meaning overlaps with the Preterit and therefore requires more thinking as to whether he DID get up or he WAS gettING up.
In telling a story, the Imperfect paints the scenery or background and the Preterit interrupts with the action.
Feel free to ask questions as you go along. Some verbs have a special meaning in the Preterit or Imperfect and Time is always the Imperfect. This explanation will at least get you started.
Sra
1.p
2.p
3.p
4.p
5.i
6.p
7.p
8i
9p
10p
11p
12i
13i
14p
15i
16p
17i
18p
19i
20p
21p
22i
23i
24i
25p
26p
27p
28p
29i
30p
31i
32p
33i
34p
35i
36p
37p
38i
39p
40i
41p
42p
43p
44i
45p
there i attempted can you check my answers please
I'm sure that you are supposed to write the verb form! Merely choosing p or i is not the attempt I believe you are to do?
Sra
Study the explanation AGAIN until you understand it. You missed 20/41. This definitely means that you do not understand the basic concept! You thought the movie was rolling when instead it was a snapshot.
For goodness sake, read what I wrote about the difference between the Preterit and the Imperfect. the Imperfect SETS THE SCENE, and Preterit is the ACTION.
1.p = i
2.p = i
3.p = i
4.p = i
5.i
6.p = i
7.p = i (special meaning in the Preterit)
8i = p
9p = i
10p
11p
12i = p
13i
14p
15i = p
16p
17i = p (de repente = suddenly = cue for P)
18p
19i
20p
21p
22i = p
23i = p
24i
25p = i
26p = i
27p
28p
29i = p
30p
31i
32p
33i
34p = i
35i
36p
37p
38i = p
39p
40i = p
41p
42p
43p
44i = p
45p
Sra
I still see no attempt? Ask questions about what you do not understand.
Sra