Example of Verbs in Past or Preterite

The preterite, also commonly known as the past, is one of the verb tenses that exist in Spanish. Verb tenses are a grammatical category that works to express a temporality in verbs. That is, the action, state or process that are expressed by the verb are located at a specific moment in relation to the speaker.

So, the verbs in the past tense are those verbs that relate the action they express with aprevious or past tense in relation to the moment in which they are enunciated by a speaker. In this sense, what is expressed by the verb is something that already happened in a previous moment or, well, something that started in the past and may persist in the present moment or be related in some way to another done.

It is important to point out that this type of conjugation of verbs in the past tense is found a lot in fiction stories, chronicles and history texts; this because they are types of texts in which description, narration or analysis of past events abound. In the case of literature, the narration in the past is one of the stylistic choices of writers to tell their stories.

Classification of verbs in the past tense:

We can find different types or classes of past tense in Spanish: different conjugation modes that express actions in a past tense. We can distinguish the following modes of conjugation in the past tense:

Simple times:

Simple past perfect indicative. Verbs conjugated in this tense express an action that took place at some point in the past and does not continue in the present.

Examples with the verb walk:

I walked
You walked
He / she / you walked
We walked
You walked
You walked
They walked 

Imperfect or copreterite in the indicative mood. This conjugation expresses actions, states or processes that happened in a present time, but it is emphasized that this action is carried out at the same time as another. It is also used to express actions, habits, customs that used to happen in the past and have no relation to the present.

Examples with the verb search:
I was looking for
You were looking for
He / she / you were looking for
We were looking for
You were looking for
They were searching
You were looking for 

Imperfect or copreterite in the subjunctive mood. This type of past tense, being in the subjunctive mood, expresses actions, states or processes that are not expressed as a fact, but as a desire or probability.

Examples with the verb Dream:
I will dream or dream
You dream or dream
He / she / you will dream or dream
We dream or dream
You will dream or dream
You dream or dream
They dream or dream 

Compound times:

Preterite perfect compound or pre-past tense in indicative mood. This verb tense refers to an action related to another that happens immediately after and that is also in the past. For example when I have finished eating the main course, I enjoyed the dessert ”. As we can see, this verb tense is formed with the verb to have conjugated in the past simple plus a verb in the participle.

Examples with the verb lead:
I have driven
You had driven
He / she / you had driven
We would have driven
You would have driven
You have driven
They had driven

Past perfect or antecopreterite in indicative mood. At this time, the action in the past that the verb expresses is related to another fact, also in the past, which is later. This tense is formed with the verb to have conjugated in copreterite plus a verb in participle.

Examples with the verb say:

I had said
You had said
He / she / you had said
We had said
You had said
You had said
They had said

Past perfect or antecopreterite in subjunctive mood. This time indicates actions that may have had a possibility of happening in the past or, well, actions that are located at a time before others.

Examples with the verb Sound:

I would have dreamed
You would have dreamed
He / she / you would have dreamed
We would have dreamed
You would have dreamed
You would have dreamed
They would have dreamed 

25 Examples of sentences with verbs in the past tense:

1. The city turned out affected by the decisions that I take the newly appointed governor.
2. Surfers they ignored weather warnings and they entered in water.
3. When Jorge came out with your friends used to invite them beers.
4. Coach was in the middle of some exercises when He had an accident and I know hurt Leg.
5. Me I'd like that this year would have much success in your projects and businesses.
6. Yes sayings the truth all the time, chances are would have problems with people.
7. When I arrived to the party I sat down once I will have greeted to all my family and friends.
8. Had been an honor to work on the project together until it started to have problems.
9. The actor does not know would have bothered with the interviewer if he does not he would have asked about his personal life.
10. I know they detected different needs that they should
11. Young they sang Y they danced around the campfire all night.
12. The cyclist toured a 150-kilometer highway route.
13. The Battle of Puebla He had place in 1862. It was a battle between the Mexican army, led by Ignacio Zaragoza, and the army of the Second French Empire. The mexican army beat.
14. The family prepared a typical dish for Christmas Eve; everyone they dined as a family and they gave away
15. My best friend is Mute to another new city but we still keep in touch because we promised keep our friendship.
16. Last Wednesday there was an assault on a downtown grocery store and several people were injured.
17. Twenty years ago Juan and Sonia they got married. Last month they celebrated his anniversary.
18. The plague infested the garden and decomposed many of the fruits.
19. The winner thanked the public and the jury.
20. Police arrest last week to the leader of a gang of kidnappers.

30 Examples of simple past perfect verbs (indicative mood):

1. I played
2. You studied
3. He manipulated
4. She typed
5. You seduced
6. We imposed
7. You reformed
8. They implemented
9. I went
10. You greeted
11. He ran
12. She assured
13. You sentenced
14. We talk
15. You guys missed
16. They used
17. I sweetened
18. You calmed
19. He sweated
20. She preferred
21. You hid
22. We criticize
23. You analyzed
24. They observed
25. I hid
26. You saved
27. He cursed
28. She preferred
29. You lied
30. We went out 

30 Examples of verbs in the past imperfect or copreterite (indicative mood):

1. I bathed
2. You were going
3. He rewarded
4. She exercised
5. You did
6. We lived
7. You used to
8. They worked
9. I forgave
10. You wrote
11. He rehearsed
12. She would be
13. You would die
14. We would cook
15. You dreamed
16. They diminished
17. I braked
18. You were driving
19. He chose
20. She sang
21. You chewed
22. We laughed
23. You served
24. They were waiting
25. I was spying
26. You watched
27. He regretted
28. She sighed
29. You were chasing
30. We idealized 

30 Examples of verbs in the past imperfect or copreterite (subjunctive mood):

1. I would like or would like
2. You will seek or seek
3. He said or said
4. She will draw or draw
5. You will mature or mature
6. We measure or measure
7. Will you turn or turn
8. They will forget or forget
9. I lost or lost
10. You knew or knew
11. Would he go out or go out
12. She will change or change
13. You medicate or medicate
14. We would go out or go out
15. You will win or win
16. They will mobilize or mobilize
17. I saw or saw
18. You will exercise or exercise
19. He drank or drank
20. She will send or send
21. Will you look or look
22. We cook or cook
23. You will warm or warm
24. They will provide or provide
25. I will accommodate or accommodate
26. You would write or write
27. He will snore or snore
28. She will annoy or annoy
29. You measure or measure
30. We would listen or listen 

30 Examples of verbs in the past perfect compound (indicative mood):

1. I have discussed
2. You would have shown
3. He had understood
4. She had bet
5. You had screamed
6. We would have feared
7. You had slept
8. They had done
9. I will have shown
10. You would have loved
11. He had heard
12. She had acquitted
13. You had delivered
14. We would have laughed
15. You have been
16. They have improved
17. I will have assimilated
18. You had lost
19. He had sung
20. She had dreamed
21. You had sucked
22. We will have cleaned
23. You have ground
24. They had prepared
25. I will have dressed
26. You would have punished
27. He had allowed
28. She had drawn
29. You had tied
30. We would have covered

30 Examples of past tense verbs (indicative mood):

1. I had splashed
2. You had cooked
3. He had allowed
4. She had smoked
5. You had scratched
6. We had seen
7. You had found
8. They had classified
9. I had taken
10. You had polished
11. He had cleaned
12. She had parked
13. You had winnowed
14. We had bought
15. You had asked
16. They had wrapped
17. I had saved
18. You had changed
19. He had paid
20. She had received
21. You had embraced
22. We had fought
23. You had discussed
24. They had missed
25. I had walked
26. You had spoken
27. He had asked
28. She had forbidden
29. You had stolen
30. We had greeted 

30 Examples of verbs in past perfect (subjunctive mood):

1. I would have or would have tried
2. You would or would have traveled
3. He would have or would have understood
4. She would have or would have approved
5. You would have or would have seen
6. We would have or would have discovered
7. You would have or would have arrived
8. They would or would have opened
9. I would have or would have expected
10. You would or would have turned on
11. He would have or would have printed
12. She would have or would have accommodated
13. You would have or would have organized
14. We would or would have found
15. You would have or would have classified
16. They would have or would have despaired
17. I would have or would have assimilated
18. You would have or would have repaired
19. He would have nailed
20. She would have or would have hit
21. You would have or would have gotten sick
22. We would have or would have attended
23. You would have or would have bought
24. They would have or would have listened
25. I would have or would have experienced
26. You would or would have cursed
27. He would or would have upholstered
28. She would have or would have reached
29. You would have or would have painted
30. We would have or would have served