I need a lesson in Verbs

bhill says on Jul 23, 2007, 17:28:

imperfecto is for a habitual action, or something with no clearly defined beginning or end. perfecto has a clearly defined timeframe, like if you say "Ayer, (pretérito).."
It's easy enough for me to understand the intent, but as a second language I doubt I'll ever get to the point where I always select the correct tense....

-Brian

rocinante says on Jul 23, 2007, 20:50:

Supe is NOT Preterio Perfecto - all perfect tenses use haber (conjugated or not) as the helper verb coupled with the past participle.

You are asking about the Simple Past vs the Imperfect(past) - or Pretéreto vs Imperfecto:

Pretérito is for completed processes in the past - a process that has a start, some duration and an end - or a specific event that took place. The pretérito has no connection with the present. Most of the time this beginning, duration, and end are implied and not specifically stated.

Imperfecto describes an incomplete process - in other words we don't know when it started when it ended (if it indeed did end), or how many times it happened. You know there was "Some" duration in the past but the beginning and the ending are IRRELEVANT. Imperfecto is used to describe past events or habitual actions. Also the IMP is used to describe settings and circumstances in a story.

Rule of thumb: if you want to say something and you are not sure wether to use the IMP or PRET think about the following question being asked after you make your statement: "When?" - If "When" can be asked and a specific time can be referenced as an answer use the PRET.

For instance: These days I don't get along with my Mom but " we used to talk every day" "hablabamos todos los días" - IMP - because "When?" is not a viable response. The speaker is describing a habitual action of talking every day to his mom in the past.

"I asked the bank for a loan" and got denied. "Pedí un préstamo al banco" - PRET - because "When?" is a viable response to your statement. The asking for a loan is a completed action in the past, although not directly stated it is implied in the english translation.

However if you want to say "I always asked the bank for a loan" - we have a habitual action in the past so with this english example, "When?" is not viable and the Spanish would be in the IMP, "Siempre pedía un préstamo al banco".

Ayer comí muchas arepas - the setting was yesterday - that's enough to warrant the PRET.

Last note: The IMP also has no connection with the present. Usually one does not know if the process is still true or still happening as we speak. Eg: El año pasado, ella tenía un carro americano. - Last year she had an american car. We don't know wether she still has an american car. The IMP does not indicate if the act of having an american car ever ended.

I hope this helps. Also the IMP is easy as pie to conjugate - only three irregulars and one (Ver) is hardly irregular.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

Man Tequila says on Jul 23, 2007, 21:06:

The simple perfect tense is described here.
http://www.helloworld.com.es/english/quick reference/verbs/indicative/ppcpp.htm

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

rocinante says on Jul 23, 2007, 21:19:

Man T: you posted a link to present perfect. The OP used "supe" - which is preterite. There is usually confusion between using the preterite vs. imperfect. Knowing when to use the perfect tenses is the same as english.

in order to follow the link insert a percent sign and 20 between quick and reference.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

bueno_pues says on Jul 23, 2007, 21:57:

Lo explicaste muy bien, R.

Man Tequila says on Jul 24, 2007, 08:32:

Here is a corrected link, not sure what happened there.

http://www.helloworld.com.es/english/quick reference/verbs/indicative/ppsps.htm

May not have been the best link. The pretérito perfecto is also discussed here.
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Spanish/Lesson_9

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

Mr. Hollywood says on Jul 24, 2007, 18:17:

Rocinante explained it well.

I always think of it as "Used to" or "was doing" vs. "did"

Man Tequila says on Jul 24, 2007, 21:53:

Rocinante did explain it well. Link won't post for whatever reason, but you could put in between quick and reference if you want to see it.

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

summer83 says on Jul 26, 2007, 11:41:

I have the perfect book for you, It is called "501 verbs" in spanish. It teaches all the 14 tenses in spanish. There are 7 simple and 7complex and they teach you in detail exactlay how to use them. You can get the book almost anywhere especialy on-line or a student book store.
It helped me ALOT!
good luck :)

Man Tequila says on Jul 26, 2007, 13:00:

Dammit, cannot get "percentage twenty" to show up on the site. Weird.

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

MaSep says on Aug 20, 2007, 21:51:

oh really which you luck, I don´t even know the difference is so complicated!