High school (9–12)
Spanish
Spanish II: Preterite Verb Endings: Standard Practice
Free Spanish II preterite practice. Review regular -AR, -ER, and -IR preterite endings and common irregular preterite verbs with multiple-choice quizzes built for high school Spanish classes. Grade-level practice aligned to typical classroom expectations and unit assessments.
Medium Level Guide
Grade-level practice aligned to typical classroom expectations and unit assessments.
When to Use the Preterite
The preterite describes completed actions at a specific point in the past. Use it for events with a clear beginning and end: ayer (yesterday), anoche (last night), el año pasado (last year). It contrasts with the imperfect for ongoing or habitual past actions.
-AR Preterite Endings
Drop -ar and add: yo -é, tú -aste, él/ella/usted -ó, nosotros -amos, vosotros -asteis, ellos/ustedes -aron. Example: hablar → hablé, hablaste, habló, hablamos, hablasteis, hablaron.
-ER and -IR Preterite Endings
-ER and -IR share preterite endings: yo -í, tú -iste, él -ió, nosotros -imos, vosotros -isteis, ellos -ieron. Comer → comí, comiste, comió. Vivir → viví, viviste, vivió.
Common Irregular Preterites
Ir and ser share the same preterite forms (fui, fuiste, fue). Tener (tuve), estar (estuve), and hacer (hice) are high-frequency irregulars. Learn these as sets because they appear constantly in storytelling.
FAQ
- Does this cover irregular preterite verbs?
- Yes. Regular endings are the focus, with sample questions on high-frequency irregulars like ir/ser.
- How is preterite different from imperfect?
- Preterite marks completed events. Imperfect describes ongoing past actions, descriptions, and habits. Both appear in Spanish II.