Verbs that change meaning in the preterite: supe, conocí, quise, pude
Saber, conocer, querer, poder and tener que mean something different in the preterite and the imperfect.
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The imperfect describes a state that was going on. The preterite presents an action as a completed event. For most verbs this is just a difference of viewpoint, but for a few common verbs the English translation changes completely. A state of knowing becomes the event of finding out.
| Verb | Imperfect (state) | Preterite (event) |
|---|---|---|
| saber | sabía = I knew | supe = I found out, I learnt |
| conocer | conocía = I knew (a person or place) | conocí = I met (for the first time) |
| querer | quería = I wanted | quise = I wanted and tried; no quise = I refused |
| poder | podía = I was able, I could | pude = I managed; no pude = I failed |
| tener que | tenía que = I was supposed to | tuve que = I had to (and did) |
Saber: knew or found out
- Sabía que Ana tenía novio.I knew Ana had a boyfriend.
- Ayer supe que Ana tenía novio.Yesterday I found out Ana had a boyfriend.
Conocer: knew or met
- Conocía muy bien Barcelona.I knew Barcelona very well.
- Conocí a mi mujer en una boda.I met my wife at a wedding.
Conocer to mean "meet someone for the first time" is the preterite. To meet up with a friend you already know is quedar con or ver. See also Saber or conocer.
Querer: wanted, tried, refused
- Quería llamarte, pero no tenía tu número.I wanted to call you, but I didn't have your number.
- Quise abrir la puerta, pero estaba cerrada con llave.I tried to open the door, but it was locked.
- Le ofrecieron el puesto, pero no quiso aceptarlo.They offered him the job, but he refused to accept it.
Quería tells you about the wish; it doesn't say whether anything happened. Quise says the wish turned into an attempt.
Poder: could, managed, failed
- Después de tres horas, por fin pude dormir.After three hours, I finally managed to sleep.
- No pude terminar el informe a tiempo.I couldn't finish the report in time.
No pude means you tried and failed. No podía describes the situation (No podía dormir por el ruido = I couldn't sleep because of the noise) and leaves the outcome open.
Tener que: supposed to, or had to
- Tenía que ir al médico, pero al final no fui.I was supposed to go to the doctor, but in the end I didn't go.
- Tuve que ir al médico porque me dolía mucho la espalda.I had to go to the doctor because my back hurt a lot.
The preterite of these verbs is irregular: supe, quise, pude, tuve have no accent (Irregular preterites: ser/ir, tener, estar, hacer, poder, poner, venir). Conocí is regular.
Common mistakes
Ayer sabía la noticiafor "I heard the news yesterday": a moment of learning is supe.Conocía a mi novio en 2019for "I met my boyfriend in 2019": first meeting is conocí.De pequeño quise un perrofor a long-lasting wish: a wish described as background is De pequeño quería un perro. Keep quise for a wish that became an attempt.No podía terminar a tiempowhen you mean "I failed to finish": No pude terminar a tiempo.- Adding an accent:
supé, pudé. Irregular preterites are stressed on the stem: supe, pude.
Practice
- Anoche _____ que mi hermana está embarazada.Options: supe · sabía · conocí · conocía
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supe — Finding out is a single event: preterite of saber.
- ¿Dónde _____ a tu novio?Options: conociste · conocías · supiste · sabías
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conociste — Meeting someone for the first time: preterite of conocer.
- De pequeño, yo no _____ (saber) nadar.
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sabía — A state of knowledge that lasted: imperfect.
- Intenté arreglar el grifo, pero no _____ (poder).
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pude — Tried and failed: no pude.