Sp2B+Imperfect+Preterit

Pepe Finerty 1/13/11 Notes

An interruption..

you start your story with the imperfect, and action in progress, when suddenly you have an interruption- that is the preterite. - mis amigos hablaban en el cafe cuando de repente llegó el policía. (my friends were talking at the cafe when suddenly the police arrived.) - cuande de repente- when all of a sudden

Describing conditions..

if you are describing conditions of your environment- imperfect and the something happens is preterite. -había muchos nubes en el cielo ese dia cuando los pajaros volaron en nuestro pueblo. (there were many clouds in the sky thta day when the birds flew in)

To set a scene..

- use the imperfect to tell what is going on and how to describe the people, places, moods, situations- just the setting of your story. -el niño era muy travieso **-** la casa era muy bonita y limpia

when something is about to happen..

-use expressions such as then preterite -un dia (one day) -repente (all of a sudden) - fue cuando (it was when)

Then continue..

-continue with.. plus preterite -entonces (then) -Luego (afterwards) -Despues (then)

To finish the story..

you want to finish the story with.. and the preterite -por eso (and that is why) -al fin (in the end) -asi que (that's how) -en fin (in the end)

y todos vivieron felizmente (and everyone lived happily ever after)