Preterite Tense – Free Exercise

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Exercises

Regular verbs. Complete the sentences with the preterite of the verbs in brackets.

  1. Ayer Marta y Luis (perder)   el autobús.regular -er verb, 3rd person plural ending: -ieronYesterday Marta and Luis missed the bus.
  2. Hace cinco años (ganar/yo)   en el bingo.regular -ar verb, 1st person singular ending: -éFive years ago, I won at the bingo.
  3. Ni Paco ni tú (salir)   a la ceremonia.regular -ir verb, 2nd person plural ending: -isteisNeither you nor Paco attended the ceremony.
  4. Alex y yo (mover)   todos los muebles de sitio.regular -er verb, 1st person plural ending: -imosAlex and I moved all the furniture around.
  5. Rafael Azcona (vivir)   de 1926 a 2008.regular -ir verb, 3rd person singular ending: -ióRafael Azcona lived from 1926 to 2008.

Irregular verbs. Complete the sentences with the preterite of the verbs in brackets.

  1. Raquel y Vicente (tener)   que cancelar sus vacaciones.stem-changing verb: tener → tuv-
    3rd person plural irregular ending: -ieron    Raquel and Vicente had to cancel their holiday.
  2. (andar/yo)   por la sombra porque hacía mucho calor.stem-changing verb: andar → anduv-
    1st person singular irregular ending: -e    I walked in the shade because it was very hot.
  3. Lo que Manuela y tú (hacer)   es imperdonable.stem-changing verb: hacer → hic-
    2nd person plural irregular ending: -isteis    What you and Manuela did is unforgivable.
  4. ¿Tú no (traer)   nada a la fiesta?stem-changing verb: traer → traj-
    2nd person singular irregular ending: -iste    Didn’t you bring anything to the party?
  5. Nunca (saber/nosotros)   la verdad.stem-changing verb: saber → sup-
    1st person plural irregular ending: -imos    We never knew the truth.

Complete the sentences with the preterite of the verbs in brackets.

  1. El taxista (dar)   una gran vuelta en lugar de ir directamente al hotel.the verb dar takes the endings for regular -er/-ir verbs
    3rd person singular → -io    The taxi driver took a detour instead of going directly to the hotel.
  2. La semana pasada (estar/yo)   de baja.stem-changing verb: estar → estuv-
    1st person singular irregular ending: -e    Last week I was off sick.
  3. El año pasado, todos los alumnos (aprobar)   los exámenes finales.regular -ar verb, 3rd person plural ending: -aronLast year, all students passed their final exams.
  4. La artista (pedir)   silencio al público.-ir verb with a stem-change in the 3rd person: e → i
    3rd person singular ending: -ió    The artist asked the audience to be quiet.
  5. Anoche los niños se (dormir)   enseguida.-ir verb with a stem-change in the 3rd person: o → u
    3rd person plural ending: -ieron    Last night, the kids fell asleep straight away.