To solve this exercise we will use the preterite tense (el pretérito) that is used to describe actions completed at a point in the past. The Spanish preterite is not used to describe regular or continuous actions in the past with no specific beginning or end. In that cases, we use the imperfect. So as you, in fact, called home in an specific moment we should use the preterite tense.
In Spanish, you can recognize only two sets of endings for Regular Preterite Verbs, one for <em>ar</em> verbs and one for both <em>er </em>and<em> ir</em> verbs. If you want to conjugate a regular verb in the preterite tense, you must remove the infinitive ending (<em>ar, er,</em> or <em>ir</em>) and add the preterite ending that matches the subject. Check out Table 1 (below) of regular preterite endings. Take into account that the first person singular (yo), third person singular (él, ella), and second person formal singular (usted) preterite forms have tildes (that is, written accents) on the final vowel. Consider that one little tilde can change both the tense and subject of a sentence.
The most common verbs with Irregular Imperfect Conjugations are <em>ser, ir, dar,</em> and<em> ver</em> as indicated in Table 2 (below).
Suppose you live in Quetzaltenango and your mother lives in Ciudad de Guatemala. In this way, the steps we take to call home is as follows:
STEP 1:
Yo cogí el teléfono y marqué el número de mi madre.
<em>Verbs: Coger - Marcar</em>
STEP 2:
Esperé el tono de la operadora.
<span><em>Verb: Esperar</em>
</span>
STEP 3:
Saludé a mi madre y le pregunté por mi padre y mis hermanos.
<span><em>Verb: Saludar - Preguntar</em>
</span>
STEP 4:
Hablamos un buen rato sobre mi trabajo.
<span><em>Verb: Hablar</em>
</span>
STEP 5:
Me despedí de ella y le mandé saludos a mis hermanos.
<em>Verb: Despedir - Mandar</em>
STEP 6
Colgué el teléfono.
<em>Verb: Colgar</em>
In Spanish, you can recognize only two sets of endings for Regular Preterite Verbs, one for <em>ar</em> verbs and one for both <em>er </em>and<em> ir</em> verbs. If you want to conjugate a regular verb in the preterite tense, you must remove the infinitive ending (<em>ar, er,</em> or <em>ir</em>) and add the preterite ending that matches the subject. Check out Table 1 (below) of regular preterite endings. Take into account that the first person singular (yo), third person singular (él, ella), and second person formal singular (usted) preterite forms have tildes (that is, written accents) on the final vowel. Consider that one little tilde can change both the tense and subject of a sentence.
The most common verbs with Irregular Imperfect Conjugations are <em>ser, ir, dar,</em> and<em> ver</em> as indicated in Table 2 (below).
Suppose you live in Quetzaltenango and your mother lives in Ciudad de Guatemala. In this way, the steps we take to call home is as follows:
STEP 1:
Yo cogí el teléfono y marqué el número de mi madre.
<em>Verbs: Coger - Marcar</em>
STEP 2:
Esperé el tono de la operadora.
<span><em>Verb: Esperar</em>
</span>
STEP 3:
Saludé a mi madre y le pregunté por mi padre y mis hermanos.
<span><em>Verb: Saludar - Preguntar</em>
</span>
STEP 4:
Hablamos un buen rato sobre mi trabajo.
<span><em>Verb: Hablar</em>
</span>
STEP 5:
Me despedí de ella y le mandé saludos a mis hermanos.
<em>Verb: Despedir - Mandar</em>
STEP 6
Colgué el teléfono.
<em>Verb: Colgar</em>