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LanguagesGCSE Spanish: tenses, ser and estar, and translation30 min★★★ difficulty

Spanish: preterite, imperfect, and ser versus estar

Two past tenses and two verbs meaning 'to be'. Both choices are decided by meaning, not by guesswork.

Lesson overview

What you'll learn in this lesson

Use Spanish tenses accurately, choose between ser and estar, and write at length.

Key learning points

  • • Preterite: completed events
  • • Imperfect: description and repetition
  • • Ser and estar
  • • Writing at length

This lesson at a glance

  • 30 minutes
  • 17 parts to scroll through
  • 4 quick checks
  • Marked quiz at the end
  • Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses

Words to know

spanishtensesaccuratelychooselength

Scroll down — the lesson carries on below

Part 1 of 17 · Discover6%
1

Watch & discover

Part 1 of 17

Watch first

Spanish: preterite, imperfect, and ser versus estar

An English teaching video on this topic from Real Fast Spanish. Watch it, then scroll down for the lesson.

In a nutshell

Use Spanish tenses accurately, choose between ser and estar, and write at length.

2

Learning cycle

Part 2 of 17

Learning cycle 1 of 2

Part 1 · Preterite: completed events

A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.

3

Explore the idea

Part 3 of 17

Learn

Preterite: completed events

Use the preterite for single, finished actions: fui, hice, comí, visité. It answers 'what happened?'. Learn ser/ir (fui), hacer (hice) and tener (tuve) as irregulars, since they appear in nearly every past-tense answer.

4

Explore the idea

Part 4 of 17

Learn

Imperfect: description and repetition

Use the imperfect for what used to happen, repeated actions and description in the past: iba, comía, hacía buen tiempo, era pequeño. Cuando era pequeño, iba a la playa todos los veranos sets the scene; then the preterite narrates the event within it.

5

Quick check

Part 5 of 17

Quick check

Which tense describes what you used to do?

6

Quick check

Part 6 of 17

Quick check

Choose the correct verb: 'Madrid ___ en España.'

7

Learning cycle

Part 7 of 17

Learning cycle 2 of 2

Part 2 · Ser and estar

A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.

8

Reset break

Part 8 of 17

Pause

That's sitting 1 of 2 done

Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.

Stop here for now
9

Explore the idea

Part 9 of 17

Learn

Ser and estar

Ser for permanent identity, origin, profession and characteristics: soy inglesa, es profesor. Estar for position, temporary states and feelings: estoy cansada, está en Madrid. Some pairs change meaning: es aburrido means 'he is boring'; está aburrido means 'he is bored'.

10

Explore the idea

Part 10 of 17

Learn

Writing at length

Extend with opinion phrases (me parece que, lo que más me gusta es), justification (ya que, puesto que) and contrast (sin embargo, aunque). Three tenses plus two justified opinions in a paragraph is the shape examiners reward.

11

Quick check

Part 11 of 17

Quick check

What does 'está aburrido' mean?

12

Quick check

Part 12 of 17

Quick check

Which pair best extends a written answer?

13

Explore the idea

Part 13 of 17

Worked example

Model paragraph with both past tenses

Cuando era pequeña, pasaba todos los veranos en casa de mis abuelos, donde había un jardín enorme y siempre hacía muchísimo calor. El verano pasado volví por primera vez en cinco años y me di cuenta de que el pueblo había cambiado bastante. Me parece que fue una experiencia muy positiva, aunque estaba un poco triste al final. El año que viene voy a volver con mi hermana porque quiero enseñarle el sitio. — The imperfect describes the background, the preterite narrates events, estar carries the feeling, and the near future closes the paragraph.

14

Challenge round

Part 14 of 17

Game · Sort it

Which of these are true?

Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.

True

Not true

15

Challenge round

Part 15 of 17

Game · Fill the gaps

Finish the sentences

Choose the word that belongs in each gap.

Three ____ plus two justified opinions in a paragraph is the shape examiners reward.

16

Mastery quiz

Part 16 of 17

Marked quiz

End of lesson quiz: Spanish: preterite, imperfect, and ser versus estar

4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.

  1. 1. Which tense describes what you used to do?

  2. 2. Choose the correct verb: 'Madrid ___ en España.'

  3. 3. What does 'está aburrido' mean?

  4. 4. Which pair best extends a written answer?

17

Lesson round-up

Part 17 of 17

Lesson round-up

Ready when you are

Quiz score

Not sat

Games

Not played

Points this lesson

0

Best run

0 in a row

Luna: 0 out of 4 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?

Ask Luna

Do the work

Your written work for this lesson

This is the part you'd do in your book at school. Pick the pieces below, write here or on paper, and photograph anything you draw or work out.

Extract

Une journée à Lyon

Samedi matin, je me lève à sept heures et demie. Je prends le petit déjeuner avec ma sœur — du pain, du beurre et un chocolat chaud. Ensuite, nous prenons le bus jusqu'au centre-ville.

J'aime beaucoup Lyon parce qu'il y a un grand marché près du fleuve. Ma sœur préfère les magasins, mais moi, je préfère le marché : c'est moins cher et c'est plus intéressant. À midi, nous mangeons un sandwich au parc.

L'après-midi, il commence à pleuvoir, alors nous rentrons à la maison en tram. Le soir, je fais mes devoirs et je regarde un film avec mes parents.

Original text written for Good Learning Co.

Reading questions

  1. In English, say what the writer does in the morning, at midday and in the evening.
  2. Find the phrases that give an opinion and a reason, and copy them out.
  3. Write 8–10 sentences about your own Saturday, using at least three phrases from the text.

  • Written practice

    Writing

    Write the sentences out in the language, then translate them back into English.

    8–10 sentences

  • Vocabulary page

    Working out

    Copy the new words, cover them, and test yourself. Note the ones you keep missing.

    15 words

Saved as you type.

Part 1 of 17 · Watch & discover

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