A. The simple present tense (el presente or el presente de indicativo): We use this tense to talk about habitual actions, routines, things happening now or in the near future, universal truths, facts, hypotheticals, lapses of time, and for ordering in restaurants and stores. There are both <em>regular and irregular indicative forms.</em>
B. The Preterite Tense: We use this tense to describe actions completed at a point in the past. There are two forms in this verbal tense, namely:<em> Regular Preterite Forms and Irregular Preterite Forms. </em>(see Tables below)
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To change the verbs from the present tense to the preterite tense we have:
1. Yo pago
<em>Yo</em><em> pagué</em>
pagué is the conjugation of the verb pagar (an <em>irregular verb</em>) for the first-person singular (yo - I).
2. Ellos lavan
<em>Ellos </em><em>lavaron</em>
lavaron is the conjugation of the verb lavar (a<em> regular verb</em>) for the third-person plural (ellos - they). if you want to conjugate an <em>ar </em>verb, take away the infinitive ending<em> ar</em> and add the ending that matches the subject that are illustrated in the first Table
3. Ustedes lavan
<em>Ustedes </em><em>lavaron</em>
lavaron is also the conjugation of the verb lavar for the second-person plural (ustedes- <em>formal</em> you).
4. Raúl estudia
<em>Raúl </em><em>estudió</em>
estudió is the conjugation of the verb estudiar (that is an <em>regular verb</em>) that matches the second-person singular (él - he).
5. Yo mando
<em>Yo </em><em>mandé</em>
mandé is the conjugation of the verb mandar (that is an <em>regular verb</em>) for the first-person singular (yo - I).
6. Tú lavas
<em>Tú l</em><em>avaste</em>
lavaste is the conjugation of the verb lavar for the second-person singular (tú - you).
7. Mi familia baila
<em>Mi familia </em><em>bailó</em>
bailó is the conjugation of the verb bailar (that is a <em>regular verb</em>) that matches the third-person singular.
8. Ella lava
<em>Ella lavó</em>
lavó is the conjugation of the verb lavar for the third-person singular (ella - she).
9. Pepita y Ramón ______________en la fiesta. (bailar)
<em>Pepita y Ramón </em><em>bailaron </em><em>en la fiesta</em>
bailaron is the conjugation of the verb bailar that matches the third-person plural (ellos - they).
10. Los alumnos no _______________anoche. (estudiar)
<em>Los alumnos no </em><em>estudiaron</em><em> anoche</em>
estudiaron is the conjugation of the verb estudiar that matches the third-person plural (ellos - they).
11. Yo____________a Colombia . (viajar)
<em>Yo </em><em>viajé </em><em>a Colombia</em>
viajé is the conjugation of the verb viajar (that is a <em>regular verb</em>) for the first-person singular (yo - I).
12. Nosotros ____________español. (estudiar)
<em>Nosotros </em><em>estudiamos </em><em>español</em>
estudiamos is the conjugation of the verb estudiar for the first-person plural (nosotros - we).
13. Tú ____________con Susana en la fiesta anoche. (cantar)
<em>Tú </em><em>cantaste </em><em>con Susana en la fiesta anoche</em>
cantaste is the conjugation of the verb cantar (an <em>regular verb</em>) for the second-person singular (tú - you).
14. Lolita ____________con Pablo en la fiesta anoche. (hablar)
<em>Lolita </em><em>habló </em><em>con Pablo en la fiesta anoche. </em>
habló is the conjugation of the verb hablar that matches the third-person singular (ella - she).
15. Yo ____________a mi abuela la semana pasada. (visitar)
<em>Yo </em><em>visité </em><em>a mi abuela la semana pasada</em>
visité is the conjugation of the verb visitar for the first-person singular (yo - I).
16. Yo saco
<em>Yo </em><em>saqué</em>
saqué is the conjugation of the verb sacar (<em>irregular verb</em>) for the first-person singular (yo - I).
17. Tú ______________una buena nota. (sacar)
<em>Tú </em><em>sacaste </em><em>una buena nota</em>
sacaste is the conjugation of the verb sacar for the second-person singular (tú - you).
18. Yo _____________ a leer el libro ayer. (empezar)
<em>Yo</em><em> empecé</em><em> a leer el libro ayer </em>
empecé is the conjugation of the verb empezar for the first-person singular (yo - I).
19. Nosotros no _________________ a las nueve. (empezar)
<em>Nosotros no </em><em>empezamos</em><em> a las nueve</em>
empezamos is the conjugation of the verb empezar for the first-person plural (nosotros - we).
20. Yo _____________ a las cinco y media. (empezar)
<em>Yo </em><em>empecé</em><em> a las cinco y media</em>
The same case as in the question 18