A2 Past Tense 16 min read Easy

Spanish Past Tense Endings for -ER Verbs (-í, -iste, -ió)

Spanish -ER verbs use the same past tense endings as -IR verbs for completed, specific actions.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use these endings (-í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron) to describe completed actions for -ER verbs in the past.

  • Drop the -ER ending from the infinitive: 'Comer' becomes 'Com-'.
  • Add the specific past tense suffix: 'Yo comí' (I ate).
  • Note the accent on the 'yo' and 'él/ella/usted' forms.
Stem + (-í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron) = Completed Past Action

Overview

Mastering the Pretérito Indefinido, often termed the simple past or preterite, is crucial for expressing completed actions in Spanish. This tense allows you to narrate events that occurred at a specific, finished point in the past, presenting actions as distinct, bounded units. It is indispensable for recounting personal experiences, historical facts, and sequential events.

For learners at the A2 CEFR level, understanding the preterite for regular -ER verbs is a foundational step towards coherent past narration. Spanish verb conjugation follows predictable patterns based on the verb's infinitive ending: -AR, -ER, or -IR. A significant simplification is that regular -ER and -IR verbs share identical preterite endings, meaning that mastery of one group largely covers the other.

The preterite fundamentally contrasts with other past tenses, such as the Imperfect, by focusing on the conclusion of an action rather than its ongoing nature or habitual occurrence. When you use the preterite, you indicate that an event began and ended definitively, making it a powerful tool for conveying clear, concrete information about what happened.

Conjugation Table

Subject comer (to eat) beber (to drink) English Translation
:------------------ :--------------- :----------------- :------------------
Yo comí bebí I ate/drank
Tú comiste bebiste You (inf.) ate/drank
Él/Ella/Usted comió bebió He/She/You (for.) ate/drank
Nosotros/as comimos bebimos We ate/drank
Vosotros/as comisteis bebisteis You all (inf., Spain) ate/drank
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes comieron bebieron They/You all (for.) ate/drank

How This Grammar Works

Spanish verbs are highly inflected, meaning a single verb form conveys multiple pieces of information: the action, the person performing it, the number of people (singular or plural), and the tense/mood (when and how). The preterite endings for -ER verbs – í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron – specifically signal that an action was completed in the past.
This tense communicates a perfective aspect. This means the action is viewed as a single, indivisible whole, with a definite beginning and end, regardless of its actual duration. For instance, Yo comí una manzana (I ate an apple) implies a finished act of eating the entire apple, not an ongoing process.
It provides a snapshot of an action from beginning to end.
Accents play a critical, not merely stylistic, role in Spanish preterite conjugation. The accent marks on the Yo (-í) and Él/Ella/Usted (-ió) forms are mandatory because they override the natural stress rules of Spanish. Without the accent, comi would be mispronounced with stress on the first syllable and comio would simply be grammatically incorrect, potentially causing confusion.
These accents precisely indicate that the stress falls on the final vowel, distinguishing these preterite forms from other tenses (e.g., comemos in the present) or entirely different words. For example, el libro (the book) vs. él leyó (he read).
For regular -ER verbs, the stem remains consistent throughout the preterite conjugation. This is a significant point of regularity compared to the present tense, where many -ER verbs exhibit stem changes. For example, volver (to return) stem-changes to vuelvo in the present tense (o > ue), but its preterite forms are volví, volviste, volvió, etc., maintaining the volv- stem.
This consistency simplifies the preterite for learners, offering a predictable base for regular verbs.

Formation Pattern

1
Conjugating regular -ER verbs in the Pretérito Indefinido is a systematic process. By following these three steps, you can accurately conjugate any regular verb ending in -ER, ensuring grammatical correctness.
2
Identify the infinitive verb: Start with the verb in its unconjugated form, which will always end in -ER. Examples include correr (to run), vender (to sell), aprender (to learn), and responder (to respond).
3
Remove the -ER ending: To find the verb's stem, simply drop the -ER from the infinitive. For correr, the stem is corr-. For vender, the stem is vend-. This stem is the consistent base to which all preterite endings will be added for regular verbs.
4
Add the appropriate preterite ending: Based on the subject pronoun performing the action, attach the corresponding ending to the verb stem. Each ending clearly signals the person and number.
5
Here is a summary of these essential endings:
6
| Subject | Ending |
7
| :------------------ | :-------- |
8
| Yo | -í |
9
| Tú | -iste |
10
| Él/Ella/Usted | -ió |
11
| Nosotros/as | -imos |
12
| Vosotros/as | -isteis |
13
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | -ieron |
14
Let's apply this pattern to the verb aprender (to learn), which means "to learn":
15
Infinitive: aprender
16
Stem: aprend-
17
Conjugations:
18
Yo aprendí (I learned)
19
Tú aprendiste (You learned)
20
Él/Ella/Usted aprendió (He/She/You learned)
21
Nosotros/as aprendimos (We learned)
22
Vosotros/as aprendisteis (You all learned)
23
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes aprendieron (They/You all learned)
24
This methodical application guarantees correct conjugation for all regular -ER verbs.

When To Use It

Accurate deployment of the Pretérito Indefinido is fundamentally determined by the nature of the action and its temporal context. This tense is exclusively used for actions considered completed, bounded events in the past. It delivers a definitive statement about what happened, providing clear information without implying ongoing status.
  • Single, completed actions: Use the preterite for actions that occurred once and finished. This is its most fundamental application. For instance, Ayer leí un libro (Yesterday I read a book). The reading action is presented as a finished, singular event. Similarly, Mi hermano vendió su coche la semana pasada (My brother sold his car last week). The selling is a single, finished event that occurred at a specific past time.
  • Actions with specific beginnings and/or ends: When the duration of an action is stated or implied to have a clear start and finish, the preterite is the correct choice. Vivimos en Buenos Aires por dos años (We lived in Buenos Aires for two years). The period of living is explicitly bounded and concluded. This usage sharply contrasts with the imperfect, which would suggest an open-ended or undefined duration. Corrí en el maratón por tres horas (I ran in the marathon for three hours) signifies the exact duration of a completed act.
  • Sequential events: For a series of actions that happened one after another, forming a narrative or chain of events, the preterite is used for each individual event. Me desperté, me duché y comí un plátano (I woke up, showered, and ate a banana). Each action is a distinct, completed step in a sequence, contributing to a narrative flow.
  • Actions that interrupt ongoing events: When an action in the past breaks into another action that was in progress, the interrupting action takes the preterite. For example, Estaba durmiendo cuando el teléfono sonó (I was sleeping when the phone rang). The ringing of the phone (sonó) is a sudden, completed event interrupting the continuous action of sleeping (estaba durmiendo).
  • Specific time markers: The presence of certain temporal adverbs or phrases almost invariably signals the use of the preterite. These expressions anchor the action to a definite past moment, reinforcing its completed nature.
  • ayer (yesterday): Ayer volví a casa tarde. (Yesterday I returned home late.)
  • anoche (last night): Anoche bebiste mucha agua. (Last night you drank a lot of water.)
  • anteayer (the day before yesterday)
  • la semana pasada (last week): Ella aprendió una nueva palabra la semana pasada. (She learned a new word last week.)
  • el mes pasado (last month)
  • el año pasado (last year)
  • hace dos días/años (two days/years ago): Hace dos años vivimos en España. (Two years ago we lived in Spain.)
  • en 1999 (in 1999)
  • de repente (suddenly)
In Spanish-speaking cultures, the preterite is central to factual reporting and historical accounts. News headlines and historical summaries rely on it to present completed events decisively. El terremoto ocurrió a las tres de la tarde (The earthquake occurred at three in the afternoon) uses ocurrió to state a precise, finished event.

Common Mistakes

Learners frequently encounter specific difficulties when conjugating and applying regular -ER verbs in the Pretérito Indefinido. Awareness of these common pitfalls can significantly improve accuracy and naturalness in your Spanish communication.
  1. 1Forgetting or Misplacing Accents: The accent marks on the Yo (-í) and Él/Ella/Usted (-ió) forms are mandatory. Failing to include them results in a grammatical error and can affect pronunciation and comprehension. For instance, comi or comio are not recognized Spanish words. The accent is crucial for establishing the correct syllable stress and distinguishing these preterite forms from other verbal tenses or even unrelated lexical items.
  1. 1Confusing -ER and -AR Endings: A prevalent error is mistakenly applying -AR preterite endings (-é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron) to -ER verbs. For example, a learner might incorrectly say respondó instead of respondió, or respondamos instead of respondimos. While both verb types share some structural similarities in the preterite (e.g., tú forms both end in -aste/-iste), the characteristic vowel sound preceding the final consonant is distinct: -AR verbs consistently use a, whereas -ER and -IR verbs consistently use i. Remember the i for -ER and -IR, and a for -AR.
  1. 1Applying Present Tense Stem Changes: Many -ER verbs exhibit stem changes in the present tense (e.g., entender -> entiendo, volver -> vuelvo). A common mistake is carrying these stem changes over to the preterite, leading to incorrect forms like entiendió or volvimos. For regular -ER verbs, the stem remains unchanged throughout the preterite conjugation (entender -> entendí, volver -> volví). This predictability in the preterite offers a simpler pattern compared to the often irregular present tense.
  1. 1Using Preterite for Habitual or Ongoing Actions: The Pretérito Indefinido is specifically for completed actions with a clear end. Using it to describe habitual actions in the past (Every day I ate...) or ongoing descriptions (The weather was...) is incorrect. These contexts unequivocally require the Imperfect tense. For instance, saying *Yo comí cada día (incorrect preterite for habitual action) instead of Yo comía cada día (correct imperfect) represents a fundamental misapplication of the tenses. The preterite focuses on a specific, finished instance, not a routine or continuous state.
  1. 1Overgeneralizing the Vosotros Form: The vosotros/as form (-isteis) is standard in peninsular Spanish (Spain). However, it is rarely, if ever, used in Latin America, where ustedes and its corresponding form (-ieron) serve universally for plural 'you.' Learners whose primary exposure is to Latin American Spanish might err by using vosotros, which can sound unnatural or foreign in many contexts. Be mindful of your target audience when choosing between vosotros/as and ustedes forms.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

Understanding the Pretérito Indefinido for -ER verbs is significantly enhanced by contrasting it with other related past tense forms, particularly -AR verbs in the preterite and, most critically, the Imperfect tense. These comparisons highlight the specific function and nuances of the -ER preterite.
1. Preterite Conjugation: -ER vs. -AR Verbs
While the preterite marks completed actions for both -AR and -ER/-IR verbs, their endings are distinct. The consistency of endings between -ER and -IR verbs means they form a combined category for preterite formation, but -AR verbs follow their own set.
| Subject | -AR Ending | -ER/-IR Ending |
| :------------------ | :--------- | :------------- |
| Yo | -é | -í |
| Tú | -aste | -iste |
| Él/Ella/Usted | -ó | -ió |
| Nosotros/as | -amos | -imos |
| Vosotros/as | -asteis | -isteis |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | -aron | -ieron |
Observe the clear vowel distinction: -AR endings predominantly feature the a vowel (e.g., hablé, hablaste), while -ER/-IR endings are characterized by the i vowel (e.g., comí, comiste). This consistent difference is a key identifier. A common point of confusion is the Nosotros/as form: hablamos in the preterite is identical to the present tense hablamos, requiring context for disambiguation.
Conversely, comimos (preterite) is distinct from the present tense comemos, avoiding this specific ambiguity.
2. Preterite vs. Imperfect Tense
This is perhaps the most critical distinction in Spanish past tenses for A2 learners. The Preterite (e.g., comí, vendió) focuses on completed actions viewed as a single, bounded event. In contrast, the Imperfect (e.g., comía, vendía) describes ongoing, habitual, or descriptive actions in the past without a definite end, or to set the scene.
| Feature | Preterite (e.g., comí) | Imperfect (e.g., comía) |
| :---------------- | :------------------------------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------- |
| Focus | Specific, completed action; beginning/end. | Ongoing, habitual action; description; no defined end. |
| Viewpoint | Action as a whole, a snapshot. | Action in progress, a continuous view. |
| Translation | I ate, I did eat, I finished eating. | I used to eat, I was eating, I would eat. |
| Example | Ayer comí una paella. (Yesterday I ate a paella – finished action) | Cuando era niño, comía paella cada domingo. (When I was a child, I used to eat paella every Sunday – habitual action) |
| Narrative Role| Advances the plot, individual events. | Provides background, sets the scene, describes conditions. |
Consider minimal pairs: Comí el almuerzo (I ate lunch – implies completion, perhaps I just finished). vs. Comía el almuerzo cuando me llamó (I was eating lunch when he called me – describes an ongoing action interrupted by another).
Key phrases that often trigger the imperfect include siempre (always), cada día/semana (every day/week), mientras (while), a menudo (often), and de niño (as a child). These expressions denote habitual or continuous states, directing you away from the preterite's emphasis on completion.

Real Conversations

In modern Spanish communication, the preterite for -ER verbs is fundamental for narrating past events, both formally and informally. It appears frequently in casual chats, text messages, social media posts, and professional correspondence when recounting what happened.

- Casual Chat: ¿Qué hiciste ayer? (What did you do yesterday?) Ayer corrí cinco kilómetros y después bebí un café con mis amigos. (Yesterday I ran five kilometers and then drank coffee with my friends.) – A direct recounting of finished activities.

- Texting/Social Media: ¡Anoche vendimos todas las entradas! 🥳 (Last night we sold all the tickets!) Here, vendimos (from vender) concisely reports a successful, completed event. Aprendí mucho en la clase hoy. (I learned a lot in class today.) – A quick update on a finished learning experience.

- Work Email (informal): Estimado equipo, ayer recibí la confirmación del cliente y comprendí todos los requisitos. (Dear team, yesterday I received client confirmation and understood all requirements.) Recibí and comprendí (from comprender) clearly state completed tasks, enabling progress.

Even in rapid, informal dialogue, native speakers rely on the preterite to advance narrative efficiently. ¿Viste la película nueva? ¿Te gustó? (Did you see the new movie? Did you like it?) Sí, la vi. Me encantó. (Yes, I saw it. I loved it.) The verb ver is irregular but functions similarly in meaning; encantó (from encantar, an -AR verb) shows a completed reaction.

Progressive Practice

1

To solidify your understanding and usage of the Pretérito Indefinido with -ER verbs, consistent and varied practice is essential. Start with structured exercises and gradually move towards more creative and real-world applications.

2

Conjugation Drills: Begin by conjugating a list of regular -ER verbs (e.g., leer, vender, responder, comprender, barrer) for all subject pronouns without context. Focus on memorizing the endings and placing the accents correctly. Use flashcards for repetition.

3

Sentence Completion: Practice completing sentences using the correct preterite form of a given -ER verb. Example: Ayer yo __________ (escribir) un correo. (Incorrect verb type for this rule, should be -ER. Let's use Ayer yo __________ (leer) un libro.). Correct answer: Ayer yo leí un libro. (Yesterday I read a book.)

4

Narrative Creation: Write short paragraphs about past events using regular -ER verbs. Describe your last weekend, a recent trip, or a typical day from your childhood (but focus on single, completed events, not habitual ones). For example: El sábado, yo corrí en el parque. Después, mi hermana vendió sus libros viejos. Nosotros comimos pizza para la cena.

5

Listen and Identify: Listen to Spanish podcasts, songs, or watch short videos. Try to identify and write down every -ER verb you hear conjugated in the preterite. This trains your ear to recognize the forms in natural speech.

6

Role-playing/Conversation: Engage in conversations where you recount past experiences or events. Practice asking and answering questions about what you or others hiciste (did) or comiste (ate). Focus on using the preterite to report finished actions, even if imperfect might also be used in more nuanced descriptions.

Quick FAQ

Here are quick answers to common questions about the Spanish Pretérito Indefinido for -ER verbs.
  • Are there irregular -ER verbs in the preterite?
Yes, many important -ER verbs are irregular in the preterite (e.g., hacer, tener, saber, poder, poner). Their irregular conjugations must be learned individually. This article focuses strictly on regular -ER verbs.
  • Do -IR verbs use the same endings as -ER verbs in the preterite?
For regular verbs, yes. Regular -IR verbs share the exact same preterite endings as regular -ER verbs (-í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron), which is a significant aid to learners.
  • How do I know if I should use the preterite or imperfect?
The key distinction is completion. Use the preterite for single, completed actions with a definite beginning and end (what happened). Use the imperfect for ongoing, habitual actions, descriptions, or to set the scene in the past (what was happening, what used to happen, what things were like).
  • Why are the accents so important on Yo and Él/Ella/Usted forms?
Accents are crucial because they dictate where the stress falls in the word, preventing mispronunciation and distinguishing preterite forms from other tenses or words. Without them, the word would follow natural stress rules, resulting in an incorrect or ambiguous form.
  • Does vosotros/as apply to all Spanish speakers?
No. Vosotros/as is primarily used in Spain for informal plural 'you.' In Latin America, ustedes is used for both formal and informal plural 'you,' so the ellos/ellas/ustedes form is universally applicable there.

Conjugation of -ER Verbs (e.g., Comer)

Subject Ending Example
Yo
-í
Comí
Tú
-iste
Comiste
Él/Ella/Ud.
-ió
Comió
Nosotros
-imos
Comimos
Vosotros
-isteis
Comisteis
Ellos/Ellas/Uds.
-ieron
Comieron

Meanings

This rule covers the Pretérito Indefinido, used for actions that happened at a specific point in time and are now finished.

1

Completed Action

An action that occurred once and is clearly finished.

“Aprendí mucho ayer.”

“Vendimos la casa.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Spanish Past Tense Endings for -ER Verbs (-í, -iste, -ió)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Stem + Ending
Comí pizza
Negative
No + Stem + Ending
No comí pizza
Question
¿ + Stem + Ending + ?
¿Comiste pizza?
Short Answer
Sí/No + Verb
Sí, comí
Plural
Stem + -imos/-ieron
Comimos juntos
Formal
Usted + -ió
Usted comió

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Cené en el restaurante.

Cené en el restaurante. (Dining)

Neutral
Comí la cena.

Comí la cena. (Dining)

Informal
Me comí la cena.

Me comí la cena. (Dining)

Slang
Me zampé la cena.

Me zampé la cena. (Dining)

Past Tense Logic

Pretérito Indefinido

Action

  • Comer To eat

Result

  • Comí I ate

Ending Patterns

Yo
Comí I ate
Tú
Comiste You ate

Conjugation Steps

1

Is it an -ER verb?

YES
Remove -ER
NO
Use different rule

Common -ER Verbs

🍽️

Daily

  • • Comer
  • • Beber
  • • Vender
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Examples by Level

1

Yo comí pizza.

I ate pizza.

2

Tú bebiste agua.

You drank water.

3

Él vendió su coche.

He sold his car.

4

Nosotros comimos bien.

We ate well.

1

¿Comiste en el restaurante?

Did you eat at the restaurant?

2

No bebí el café.

I didn't drink the coffee.

3

Ellos vendieron todo.

They sold everything.

4

Vosotros comisteis tarde.

You all ate late.

1

Aprendí la lección rápidamente.

I learned the lesson quickly.

2

Corrimos hasta la meta.

We ran to the finish line.

3

Ella comprendió el problema.

She understood the problem.

4

No prometieron nada.

They didn't promise anything.

1

El equipo respondió a las críticas.

The team responded to the criticisms.

2

Temí lo peor durante la tormenta.

I feared the worst during the storm.

3

Crecimos mucho este año.

We grew a lot this year.

4

No entendiste mis motivos.

You didn't understand my motives.

1

Tras el anuncio, el mercado respondió con cautela.

After the announcement, the market responded cautiously.

2

Jamás comprendí por qué se marchó.

I never understood why he left.

3

La empresa vendió sus activos principales.

The company sold its main assets.

4

Surgió una oportunidad inesperada.

An unexpected opportunity arose.

1

El autor concibió la obra en un momento de crisis.

The author conceived the work in a moment of crisis.

2

El pueblo resistió la opresión durante décadas.

The people resisted oppression for decades.

3

No percibiste la ironía en sus palabras.

You didn't perceive the irony in his words.

4

El plan previó todos los escenarios posibles.

The plan foresaw all possible scenarios.

Easily Confused

Spanish Past Tense Endings for -ER Verbs (-í, -iste, -ió) vs Pretérito Indefinido vs Imperfecto

Both describe the past.

Spanish Past Tense Endings for -ER Verbs (-í, -iste, -ió) vs -ER vs -AR endings

Endings look similar.

Spanish Past Tense Endings for -ER Verbs (-í, -iste, -ió) vs Yo form vs Él form

Both have accents.

Common Mistakes

✗

Yo como

✓

Yo comí

Confusing present with past.
✗

Yo comi

✓

Yo comí

Missing accent.
✗

Tú comió

✓

Tú comiste

Wrong person ending.
✗

Nosotros comieron

✓

Nosotros comimos

Wrong plural ending.
✗

Yo bebiste

✓

Yo bebí

Mixing subjects.
✗

Él comiste

✓

Él comió

Mixing subjects.
✗

Ellos comieron

✓

Ellos comieron

Actually correct, but often misspelled as 'comieron'.
✗

Yo corría

✓

Yo corrí

Using imperfect for a single event.
✗

Nosotros vendimos

✓

Nosotros vendimos

Correct, but sometimes confused with present.
✗

Él aprendió

✓

Él aprendió

Correct, but sometimes confused with 'aprendió'.
✗

Yo he comido

✓

Yo comí

Using perfect instead of simple past in narrative.
✗

Ellos comieron

✓

Ellos comieron

Correct.
✗

Yo comí

✓

Yo comí

Correct.
✗

Nosotros comimos

✓

Nosotros comimos

Correct.

Sentence Patterns

Yo ___ (verbo) ___.

¿___ (verbo) tú ___?

Nosotros ___ (verbo) ___.

Ellos ___ (verbo) ___.

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Ya comí.

Job Interview common

Vendí más que nadie.

Travel very common

Comimos en el centro.

Food App common

Comí esto ayer.

Social Media constant

¡Comí increíble!

Formal Report common

La empresa vendió sus acciones.

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💡

Accent Marks

Always check for the accent on the 'yo' and 'él' forms. It changes the meaning.
⚠️

Irregulars

Many common verbs are irregular. Don't assume every -ER verb is regular.
🎯

Context

Use time markers like 'ayer' to help clarify the tense.
💬

Regionalism

Remember that 'vosotros' is only for Spain.

Smart Tips

Always add the accent.

Yo comi. → Yo comí.

Use the -ió ending for singular.

Él comiste. → Él comió.

Use -ieron for -ER verbs.

Ellos comieron. → Ellos comieron.

Check if the verb is irregular.

Yo hací. → Yo hice.

Pronunciation

ko-MEE, ko-MYO

Accent marks

The accent on 'í' and 'ió' means stress the syllable.

Statement

Comí pizza. ↘

Falling intonation for facts.

Question

¿Comiste? ↗

Rising intonation for questions.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

I-ste-ió, imos-isteis-ieron. Sing it to the tune of a simple scale.

Visual Association

Imagine a chef chopping off the 'ER' from a giant sandwich and replacing it with colorful stickers labeled 'í', 'iste', 'ió'.

Rhyme

For -ER verbs in the past, add -í at last, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron, the past is done, the day is won!

Story

Yesterday, I (yo) ate (comí) a taco. You (tú) drank (bebiste) soda. We (nosotros) sold (vendimos) the car. It was a busy day!

Word Web

ComerBeberVenderAprenderComprenderCorrer

Challenge

Write 3 sentences about what you ate, drank, and sold yesterday in 5 minutes.

Cultural Notes

The 'vosotros' form is used daily.

The 'vosotros' form is never used; 'ustedes' is used instead.

The 'vos' form is used, but the past tense remains standard.

Derived from Latin perfectum tense.

Conversation Starters

“

¿Qué comiste ayer?

“

¿Vendiste tu coche?

“

¿Aprendiste algo nuevo hoy?

“

¿Comprendiste la lección?

Journal Prompts

Describe your last meal.
Write about a time you learned something new.
Describe a business transaction you completed.
Reflect on a difficult decision you made.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Conjugate 'comer' for 'yo'.

Yo ___ pizza.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: comí
Yo form ends in -í.
Choose the correct form for 'tú'. Multiple Choice

Tú ___ agua.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: bebiste
Tú form ends in -iste.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Yo comió pizza.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yo comí pizza
Yo form needs -í.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yo comí pizza
Standard SVO order.
Translate to Spanish. Translation

We sold the house.

Answer starts with: Ven...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vendimos la casa
Nosotros form is -imos.
Match subject to ending. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: -í
Yo matches -í.
Conjugate 'aprender' for 'ellos'. Conjugation Drill

Ellos ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: aprendieron
Ellos form is -ieron.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Ella / vender / coche

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ella vendió el coche
Ella form is -ió.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Conjugate 'comer' for 'yo'.

Yo ___ pizza.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: comí
Yo form ends in -í.
Choose the correct form for 'tú'. Multiple Choice

Tú ___ agua.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: bebiste
Tú form ends in -iste.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Yo comió pizza.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yo comí pizza
Yo form needs -í.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

comí / yo / pizza

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yo comí pizza
Standard SVO order.
Translate to Spanish. Translation

We sold the house.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vendimos la casa
Nosotros form is -imos.
Match subject to ending. Match Pairs

Yo - ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: -í
Yo matches -í.
Conjugate 'aprender' for 'ellos'. Conjugation Drill

Ellos ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: aprendieron
Ellos form is -ieron.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Ella / vender / coche

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ella vendió el coche
Ella form is -ió.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

7 exercises
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'beber' (nosotros) Fill in the Blank

Anoche nosotros ___ té de menta.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: bebimos
Fix the accent mistake Error Correction

Ella comio pasta.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ella comió pasta.
Reorder the words to make a sentence Sentence Reorder

ayer / yo / no / nada / comí

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yo no comí nada ayer.
Translate 'We learned' to Spanish Translation

How do you say 'We learned'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Aprendimos
Match the pronoun to the ending Match Pairs

Match these:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yo: -í, Tú: -iste, Él: -ió, Nosotros: -imos
Choose the formal version of 'You drank' Multiple Choice

Which one is formal?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Usted bebió
Fill in the blank Fill in the Blank

Mis amigos ___ el examen.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: perdieron

Score: /7

FAQ (8)

It marks the stress and distinguishes it from other forms.

No, many are irregular like 'hacer'.

Only in Spain for informal plural.

Yes, the verb ending implies the subject.

No, that's the perfect tense.

They have different endings.

Put 'no' before the verb.

Yes, it is standard for narratives.

Scaffolded Practice

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2

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3

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4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

French partial

Passé composé

Spanish is synthetic; French is analytic.

German partial

Präteritum

German has strong/weak verb distinctions.

Japanese moderate

Ta-form

Japanese is agglutinative.

Arabic moderate

Past tense conjugation

Arabic is root-based.

Chinese low

Le particle

Chinese is isolating.

English high

Past Simple

English is mostly invariant for person.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Don't Separate the Verb Pair (Haber + Past Participle)
Next
Spanish Past Tense: What Happened? (Pretérito Indefinido)

Learn These First

A2 Builds On

Spanish Past Tense: Regular ER/IR Verbs (comí, viví)

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