Spanish
Grade 8
15 min
El Pretérito: Conjugating -ER and -IR Verbs
Learn the conjugation of regular -ER and -IR verbs in the preterite tense.
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify regular -ER and -IR verbs in their infinitive form.
Accurately conjugate regular -ER verbs in the preterite tense for all subject pronouns.
Accurately conjugate regular -IR verbs in the preterite tense for all subject pronouns.
Correctly apply the stem-changing rules for -IR verbs in the 3rd person singular and plural of the preterite tense.
Use conjugated -ER and -IR preterite verbs to describe completed actions during a past trip.
Differentiate between regular and stem-changing -IR verbs when conjugating in the preterite tense.
¿Alguna vez has planeado un viaje y luego has querido contarles a tus amigos todo lo que hiciste? ✈️ ¡Hoy aprenderemos a describir esas aventuras pasadas en español!
En esta lección, te sumergirás en el pretérito, un ti...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
El PretéritoA past tense in Spanish used to describe actions that were completed at a specific point in the past. Think of it as telling what 'happened' or 'did happen'.Yo comí paella. (I ate paella.)
Verbo InfinitivoThe basic, unconjugated form of a verb, ending in -ar, -er, or -ir. It means 'to [verb]'.comer (to eat), vivir (to live), subir (to go up)
Verbos Regulares -ERVerbs ending in -ER that follow a predictable pattern when conjugated in the preterite tense, without any changes to their stem.aprender (to learn), beber (to drink), vender (to sell)
Verbos Regulares -IRVerbs ending in -IR that follow a predictable pattern when conjugated in the preterite tense, without any changes to their stem.vivir (to live), escribir (to write), a...
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Grammar Rules & Patterns
Conjugación Regular de Verbos -ER en el Pretérito
Drop the -ER ending from the infinitive and add the following endings: -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.
This rule applies to most -ER verbs to describe a completed action in the past. Remember the accent on 'í' and 'ió'.
Conjugación Regular de Verbos -IR en el Pretérito
Drop the -IR ending from the infinitive and add the following endings: -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.
This rule applies to most -IR verbs to describe a completed action in the past. Notice the endings are identical to regular -ER verbs in the preterite. Remember the accent on 'í' and 'ió'.
Cambios de Raíz en Verbos -IR en el Pretérito (3ra Persona)
For certain -IR stem-changing verbs (e.g., o>ue,...
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Challenging
Read the passage and fill in the blank: 'Mi familia y yo fuimos a un restaurante en Madrid. Mi hermana es muy exigente (picky). Ella no comió la paella. En su lugar, ___ pollo con papas fritas.'
A.pidió
B.pedió
C.pediste
D.pido
Challenging
Which statement most accurately and completely describes the stem-change rule for -IR verbs in the preterite tense?
A.All -IR verbs that stem-change in the present tense also stem-change in all forms of the preterite.
B.Only -IR verbs that stem-change in the present tense will stem-change in the preterite, and this change (e>i or o>u) only occurs in the 3rd person singular and plural forms.
C.All -IR verbs have a stem change of e>i or o>u in the 3rd person preterite forms.
D.Stem-changing -IR verbs change in the 'yo', 'tú', and 'él' forms of the preterite, but not in the plural forms.
Challenging
Which sentence correctly combines a regular -ER verb and a stem-changing -IR verb to describe two distinct, completed actions on a trip?
A.Yo comí la cena y mi padre me sirvó el postre.
B.Nosotros bebimos limonada y el mesero nos sirvieron la cuenta.
C.Tú aprendiste mucho y el guía te repitó la historia.
D.Ellos comieron rápido porque el bebé durmió en el coche.
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