What Is the Preterite Tense?

Use the preterite tense to talk about completed actions at specific times in the past. The preterite is used when the past action has a definite beginning and definite end.

What is the preterite tense in English?

The simple past tense, sometimes called the preterite, is used to talk about a completed action in a time before now. The simple past is the basic form of past tense in English. The time of the action can be in the recent past or the distant past and action duration is not important.

What is the preterite used for in Spanish?

The Spanish Preterite (Past) Tense. The Spanish preterite tense is one of five forms used to describe actions or events that occurred in the past. The preterite is used to describe actions which have been completed.