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This lesson focuses on past time expressions like 'ayer' (yesterday), 'de repente' (suddenly), and 'el mes pasado' (last month) and how to use them correctly with the indefinido and imperfecto past tenses in Spanish.
  1. We use ayer, de repente, el mes pasado with the preterite tense.
  2. We use muchas veces, durante, anteriormente with the imperfect tense.
  3. At principio and at final indicate beginning or ending.
Expresión (Expression)Tipo de pasado (Type of past)Ejemplo (Example)
Ayer (Yesterday)IndefinidoAyer visité la academia por primera vez.
Muchas veces (Many times)ImperfectoMuchas veces leía en la biblioteca por la tarde.
De repente (Suddenly)IndefinidoDe repente cerró la puerta del aula.
Durante (During)ImperfectoEstudiaba durante toda la mañana para el examen.
El mes pasado (Last month)IndefinidoEl mes pasado empecé un nuevo curso de máster.
Anteriormente (Previously)ImperfectoAnteriormente, trabajaba como practicante en la academia.
Al principio (At first)IndefinidoAl principio entró sin decir nada.
Al final (In the end)IndefinidoAl final presentó su proyecto al grupo.

 

Exercise 1: Expresiones con los tiempos del pasado: "Ayer", "De repente" , "El mes pasado" , etc...

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Completé, tuvimos, Empezamos, soñaba, parecían, entró, prestaba, escribí

1. Entrar:
: De repente ... un profesor desconocido.
(Suddenly, an unknown teacher entered.)
2. Empezar (nosotros):
: ... las prácticas hace tres semanas.
(We started the placements three weeks ago.)
3. Soñar (ella):
: Muchas veces ... con estudiar en el extranjero.
(I often dreamed of studying abroad.)
4. Tener (nosotros):
: Ayer ... clase de literatura española.
(Yesterday we had a Spanish literature class.)
5. Prestar:
: Durante años, él ... libros en la biblioteca del colegio.
(For years, he used to lend books in the school library.)
6. Parecer:
: Al principio del curso, todos ... nerviosos.
(At the beginning of the course, everyone seemed nervous.)
7. Completar (yo):
: ... el curso el mes pasado.
(I completed the course last month.)
8. Escribir (yo):
: Ayer ... una carta para pedir la matrícula
(Yesterday I wrote a letter to apply for enrolment)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence that properly uses temporal expressions with past tenses.

1.
With 'ayer' the imperfect or habitual expressions are not used.
With 'ayer' the preterite must be used, not the imperfect.
2.
'De repente' indicates a punctual action, not habitual, so the imperfect with frequency is not used.
'De repente' requires the preterite, not the imperfect.
3.
'Anteriormente' indicates habituality and is used with the imperfect, not with the preterite.
The expression 'una vez' indicates a punctual action and should not be used with the imperfect.
4.
'El mes pasado' is not combined with the imperfect nor with habitual expressions.
With 'el mes pasado' the preterite is used, not the imperfect.

Understanding Past Expressions in Spanish: "Ayer", "De repente", "El mes pasado" and More

This lesson focuses on how certain Spanish expressions indicate different uses of the past tense. It highlights the distinction between punctual and habitual actions in the past using common time markers.

Key Past Expressions and Their Use

  • Indefinido (Preterite) indicators: Ayer, De repente, El mes pasado, Al principio, Al final. These expressions are used for actions that happened once or were completed at a specific time.
  • Imperfecto (Imperfect) indicators: Muchas veces, Durante, Anteriormente. These words signal habitual or ongoing actions in the past without a clear beginning or end.

Examples to Remember

  • Ayer visité la academia por primera vez. (Yesterday I visited the academy for the first time.)
  • De repente cerró la puerta del aula. (Suddenly, he/she closed the classroom door.)
  • Muchas veces leía en la biblioteca por la tarde. (Many times I used to read in the library in the afternoon.)
  • Durante toda la mañana estudiaba para el examen. (I used to study all morning for the exam.)

Focus on the Meaning of Expressions

Expressions like "ayer" or "de repente" point to specific moments in the past, indicating single, completed actions expressed with the indefinido tense. In contrast, expressions such as "muchas veces" or "durante" indicate repeated or ongoing past actions, fitting naturally with the imperfect tense.

Important Notes on Differences Between English and Spanish

In English, past tenses are often less strictly divided by whether the action was habitual or a single event. For example, "I was reading" and "I read" can sometimes be interchangeable depending on context. However, in Spanish, the use of preterite (indefinido) and imperfecto tenses is closely tied to certain time expressions, which help clarify meaning. Phrases like "de repente" emphasize sudden actions and always require the preterite tense, unlike English where "suddenly" does not impose such grammatical constraints.

Useful phrases:

  • Hace + time period (e.g., hace dos días): equivalent to "two days ago"
  • Solía + infinitive (e.g., solía leer): expresses habitual past actions like "used to read"
  • Terminar + de + infinitive (e.g., terminé de estudiar): expresses completion of an action, often used with preterite

Recognizing these expressions and their associated past tenses is essential for clear and natural Spanish communication.

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