Preterite regular verbs

Foreign Languages

Definition

The preterite tense in Spanish is used to describe completed actions in the past. Regular verbs follow predictable patterns: -ar verbs take endings -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron, while -er/-ir verbs take -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.

Examples

  • Hablar → hablé, hablaste, habló (I spoke, you spoke, he spoke)
  • Comer → comí, comiste, comió (I ate, you ate, he ate)
  • Vivir → viví, viviste, vivió (I lived, you lived, he lived)
Key Fact

-AR endings: -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron | -ER/-IR endings: -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron

Related Terms

Preterite irregular verbs Preterite vs imperfect Ir + a + infinitive Time expressions

Study This Concept

Practice preterite regular verbs with free review games in these units:

Spanish 1-2 Unit 11: Past Tense