CHAPTER IV
THE COMPARISON BETWEEN ENGLISH AND SPANISH SIMPLE PAST TENSE AND PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Analysis:
ENGLISH SPANISH
In English Tenses, Past Tenses consist of some kinds, they are:
a. Simple Past Tense
b. Past Continuous Tense
c. Past Perfect Tense
d. Past Perfect Continuous Tense
e. Past Future Tense
f. Past Future Continuous Tense
g. Past Future Perfect Tense, and
h. Past Future Continuous Tense.
4.1 Form of Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous Tense
The Simple Past Tense formed by using verbs that consist of two ways, they are
regular verbs and irregular verbs.
Regular Verbs: There are some types of Past Tenses in
Spanish, they are : a.
Imperfecto b.
Pretérito c.
Condicional d.
Presente perfecto e.
Futuro perfecto f.
Pluscuamperfecto g.
Pretérito anterior h.
Condicional perfecto
4.1 Form of Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous Tense
Preterito formed by conjugating each of the
verbs, it has different rules for each of the verbs. i.
Regular Verbs: 1.
–AR verbs
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live → lived
He lived in France last year.
climb → climbed
They climbed the mountain a
week ago.
Irregular Verbs: wear
→ wore It was Mary’s birthday yesterday
and she wore her new dress.
give → gave
He gave me the book two days
ago. While past continuous tense formed by
using to be in past tense, that are was and were plus the verb –ing present
participle. Examples: rain
→ raining
It was raining when I went out this
morning. speak
→ speaking She was speaking to the teacher when he
entered the room. b
Past Tenses in English have three form; positive form, negative
Singular Endings Plural Endings
1
st
yo + e
nosotros + amos
2
nd
tú + aste
vosotros + asteis 3
rd
élélla + o
ellos + aron
comprar → compre
Yo compre una chaqueta ayer.
I bought a jacket yesterday. 2. –ER Verbs and –IR Verbs
comer → comimos
Nosotros comimos a las ocho.
We ate at 8 o’clock
Imperfecto also formed by conjugating each of
the verbs, it has different rules for each of the verbs.
ii. Regular Verbs:
1. –AR Verbs
Singular Endings Plural Endings
1
st
yo + aba
nosotros +abamos
Singular Endings Plural Endings
1
st
yo + í
nosotros + imos
2
nd
tú + iste
vosotros + isteis
3
rd
élélla + ió
ellos + ieron
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form, and interrogative form for each of its type.
Simple Past Tense:
I saw David yesterday. +
I did not see David
yesterday. -
Did you see David yesterday? ?
Past Continuous Tense:
He was cleaning at the time.
+
He was not cleaning at the time. -
Was he cleaning at the
time? ? 2
nd
tú + abas
vosotros + abais
3
rd
élélla + aba
ellos + aban
estudiar → estudiaba
yo Estudiaba a las nueve de la mañana.I was
studying at nine this morning. 2.
– ER Verbs and –IR Verbs
Singular Endings Plural Endings
1
st
yo + ía
nosotros + iamos 2
nd
tú + ias
vosotros + iais
3
rd
élélla + ía
ellos + ian
leer → leía
Ella leía el periodico.
She was reading the newspaper. escribir
→ escribía
yo Escribía una carta a mi madre.
I was writing a letter to my mother. iii.
Irregular Verbs: Ir, ser, and ver are the only irregular verbs in the imperfecto.
Ir Singular Endings Plural Endings
1
st
yo iba nosotros
íbamos 2
nd
tú ibas vosotros
ibais 3
rd
élélla iba
ellos iban
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Ser Singular
Endings Plural Endings
1
st
yo era nosotros
éramos 2
nd
tú eras vosotros
erais 3
rd
élélla era
ellos eran
Ver Singular
Endings Plural Endings
1
st
yo veía nosotros
veíamos 2
nd
tú veías vosotros
veíais 3
rd
élélla veía ellos veían
b. Past Tenses in Spanish have three form;
positive form, negative form, and interrogative form for each of its type.
Preterito
Yo visité Barcelona el sabado. +
I visit Barcelona on Saturday
No visité Barcelona el sabado. - I didn’t visit Barcelona on Saturday.
¿Visitaste Barcelona el sabado? ?
Did you visit Barcelona on Saturday?
Imperfecto
Ella leía el periódico. + She was reading the newspaper.
Ella no leía el periódico. -
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4.2 Function of Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous Tense
