Past Tenses Comaprison

Imperfecto

• repeated action
• something lasting a significant period of time
• descriptions (He was Chinese whole his life - duration)

Indefinido

• short, single action (boom!)
• facts
• closed past
• with dates

Perfecto

• happened in the "present period"
• experience (ever?) no matter when

Pluscuamperefecto

• pre-past

Anterior

• dead
• past action happening just before past action

Imperfecto	Indefinido	Perfecto
animation of the story telling longer than one night stand	dry facts dates	fresh, just happened now experience

Imperfecto vs. Indefinido

Imperfecto	Indefinido
simultaneous actions	one acion after another
sabía – knew (a fact)	supe – learned about, experienced
conocía – be familiar with	conocí – to met, got to know