<h3>Directions: Laura has just found a page from her old diary. Retype each sentence in the past tense, using the preterite and imperfect forms of the verbs as appropriate.</h3>
Question 1: Estoy pasando el verano en Alajuela, y es un lugar muy divertido.
Answer 1: Yo pasaba el verano en Alajuela y era un lugar muy divertido.
Explanation (pasaba, era): we are providing background information, so we use the imperfect.
Translation: I was spending the summer in Alajuela and it was a very fun place.
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Question 2: Salgo con mis amigas todas las noches hasta tarde.
Answer 2: Salía con mis amigas todas las noches hasta tarde.
Explanation (salía): we are providing background information, so we use the imperfect.
Translation: I went out with my friends every night until late.
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Question 3: Bailamos con nuestros amigos y nos divertimos mucho.
Answer 3: Bailábamos con nuestros amigos y nos divertíamos mucho.
Explanation (bailábamos, nos divertíamos): we are providing background information, so we use the imperfect.
Translation: We danced with our friends and had a lot of fun.
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Question 4: Durante la semana trabajo: doy clases de inglés.
Answer 4: Durante la semana trabajaba: daba clases de inglés.
Explanation (trabajaba, daba): we are providing background information, so we use the imperfect.
Translation: During the week I was working: I was teaching English.
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Question 5: Los estudiantes son alegres y se interesan mucho por aprender.
Answer 5: Los estudiantes eran alegres y se interesaban mucho por aprender.
Explanation (eran, se interesaban): we are providing background information, so we use the imperfect.
Translation: The students were cheerful and they were very interested in learning.
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Question 6: El día de mi cumpleaños conocí a un chico muy simpático que se llama Francisco.
Answer 6: El día de mi cumpleaños conocí a un chico muy simpático, que se llamaba Francisco.
Explanation (conocí): the action happened only once (on my birthday), so we must use the preterite.
Explanation (se llamaba): we are providing background information, so we use the imperfect.
Translation: On my birthday, I met a very nice boy named Francisco.
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Question 7: Me llamó al día siguiente (next), y nos vemos todos los días.
Answer 7: Me llamó al día siguiente, y nos veíamos todos los días.
Explanation (me llamó): the action happened only once (the next day), so we must use the preterite.
Explanation (nos veíamos): we are providing background information, so we use the imperfect.
Translation: He called me the next day, and we saw each other every day.
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Question 8: Me siento enamorada de él.
Answer 8: Me sentía enamorada de él.
Explanation (me sentía enamorada): we are providing background information, so we use the imperfect.
Translation: I felt in love with him.
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Explanations: whether the action happened only once, and it is considered finished, we use the preterite tense. Whether we are providing background information, we use the imperfect, because the imperfect sets the scene for a series of actions.