If you’re learning Spanish and want to communicate clearly about past events, mastering the simple past tense (el pretérito perfecto simple) is essential. It’s one of the most widely used tenses in Spanish, especially for storytelling and describing completed actions. In this guide, I’ll break it down into the most important 20% that will help you understand and use 80% of it.
What Is the Simple Past in Spanish?
The pretérito perfecto simple is used to describe completed actions in the past. These are typically one-time events or actions tied to a specific moment in time.
Examples:
- Ayer comí pizza. (Yesterday, I ate pizza.)
- Ella llegó tarde. (She arrived late.)
If you’re talking about something done and dusted, you’re likely using the simple past.
How to Conjugate Regular Verbs
To form the pretérito perfecto simple, take the stem of the verb (the infinitive without -ar, -er, or -ir) and add the appropriate ending. Here’s a breakdown for each verb type:
-AR Verbs (e.g., hablar – to speak):
| Person | Ending | Example (hablar) |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | -é | hablé |
| Tú | -aste | hablaste |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | -ó | habló |
| Nosotros/as | -amos | hablamos |
| Vosotros/as | -asteis | hablasteis |
| Ellos/as/Uds. | -aron | hablaron |
-ER and -IR Verbs (e.g., comer – to eat, vivir – to live):
| Person | Ending | Example (comer) | Example (vivir) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | -í | comí | viví |
| Tú | -iste | comiste | viviste |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | -ió | comió | vivió |
| Nosotros/as | -imos | comimos | vivimos |
| Vosotros/as | -isteis | comisteis | vivisteis |
| Ellos/as/Uds. | -ieron | comieron | vivieron |
Irregular Verbs You Must Know
Some of the most common verbs in Spanish are irregular in the pretérito. These don’t follow the regular conjugation patterns, so you’ll need to memorize them. Here are the most important ones:
| Verb | Stem Change | Yo Form | Tú Form | Él/Ella Form | Nosotros Form | Vosotros Form | Ellos/Ellas Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ser/Ir | fui- | fui | fuiste | fue | fuimos | fuisteis | fueron |
| Tener | tuv- | tuve | tuviste | tuvo | tuvimos | tuvisteis | tuvieron |
| Estar | estuv- | estuve | estuviste | estuvo | estuvimos | estuvisteis | estuvieron |
| Hacer | hic- | hice | hiciste | hizo | hicimos | hicisteis | hicieron |
| Poder | pud- | pude | pudiste | pudo | pudimos | pudisteis | pudieron |
| Decir | dij- | dije | dijiste | dijo | dijimos | dijisteis | dijeron |
Example Sentences:
- Ayer fui al cine. (Yesterday, I went to the movies.)
- Él tuvo un examen difícil. (He had a difficult exam.)
- Hicimos una fiesta el sábado pasado. (We threw a party last Saturday.)
When to Use the Simple Past
The pretérito perfecto simple is your go-to tense for actions that are:
- Completed: They’re done, over, and not ongoing.
- Specific: Tied to a clear time frame or event.
Look for these time markers to know when to use the pretérito:
- Ayer (yesterday)
- Anoche (last night)
- La semana pasada (last week)
- El año pasado (last year)
- Hace [time period] (e.g., hace dos días = two days ago)
Examples:
- Hace tres días, compré un coche. (Three days ago, I bought a car.)
- El mes pasado viajé a México. (Last month, I traveled to Mexico.)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing pretérito with imperfecto:
The pretérito is for completed actions, while the imperfecto is for ongoing or habitual actions.- Correct: Ayer estudié todo el día. (I studied all day yesterday.)
- Incorrect: Ayer estudiaba todo el día. (This would imply it was habitual, not one-time.)
- Ignoring irregular verbs:
Many irregular verbs are extremely common, so skipping them will leave gaps in your communication.
The 20% Formula to Master the Simple Past
Follow this plan to master the pretérito perfecto simple efficiently:
- Learn Regular Conjugations: Practice 5 -ar, -er, and -ir verbs daily (e.g., hablar, comer, vivir).
- Focus on Key Irregulars: Start with the most frequent ones (ser, ir, tener, hacer, etc.).
- Use Time Markers: Create sentences with words like ayer, la semana pasada, or hace dos días.
- Spot Patterns in Irregulars: Group irregular verbs by stem changes (e.g., tener → tuv-, estar → estuv-).
Practice Makes Perfect
Here are some essential verbs to practice:
- Ser/Ir (to be/go)
- Hacer (to do/make)
- Tener (to have)
- Estar (to be)
- Poder (to be able to)
- Decir (to say)
- Dar (to give)
- Venir (to come)
- Ver (to see)
- Querer (to want)
Practice Example Sentences:
- Fui al supermercado ayer. (I went to the supermarket yesterday.)
- Ellos hicieron la tarea temprano. (They did the homework early.)
- Nosotros estuvimos en la playa todo el día. (We were at the beach all day.)
Final Thoughts
Mastering the pretérito perfecto simple is a big step toward fluency in Spanish. Focus on the regular patterns, commit the key irregulars to memory, and practice with sentences every day. With time and repetition, you’ll be able to tell stories about the past with ease and confidence.