Spanish grammar
Preterite changes the meaning: supe, conocí, quise, no quiso, no pude
Tell when you found out, met, tried, refused or managed something, choosing preterite or imperfect for meaning.
From the scene Lo supe aquel día (I knew it that day)
In short
Some verbs change meaning in the preterite: supe is I found out, conocí is I met, no quiso is she refused.
Your turn
Which one goes with you didn't know him before??
Options: ¿no lo conocía de antes? · lo conocí en una fiesta · quise hablar con él, pero no pude
Show answer
you didn't know him before? → ¿no lo conocía de antes?
How it works
Some verbs mean something different in the preterite. Sabía = I knew, supe = I found out.
Good to know
Conocía = I knew (someone), conocí = I met. Quería = I wanted, quise = I tried, no quiso = she refused.
Good to know
Podía = I was able, pude = I managed, no pude = I tried and failed.
I met him at a party lo conocí en una fiesta
Elena
Con Manolo. Lo conocí en una fiesta, en el sesenta y cuatro.
With Manolo. I met him at a party, in sixty-four.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Con Manolo. (blank), en el sesenta y cuatro.
Options: Quise hablar con él · Lo conocí en una fiesta · No lo conocía de antes
Show answer
Elena
Con Manolo. Lo conocí en una fiesta, en el sesenta y cuatro.
With Manolo. I met him at a party, in sixty-four.
you didn't know him before? ¿no lo conocía de antes?
Nuria
¿No lo conocía de antes?
You didn't know him before?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
¿(blank)?
Options: No lo conocía de antes · Lo conocí en una fiesta · Quise hablar con él
Show answer
Nuria
¿No lo conocía de antes?
You didn't know him before?
I tried to talk to him, but I didn't manage quise hablar con él, pero no pude
Elena
Aquella noche quise hablar con él, pero no pude.
That night I tried to talk to him, but I didn't manage.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Aquella noche (blank).
Options: no lo conocía de antes · quise hablar con él, pero no pude · lo conocí en una fiesta
Show answer
Elena
Aquella noche quise hablar con él, pero no pude.
That night I tried to talk to him, but I didn't manage.
my mother refused mi madre no quiso
Elena
Mi madre no quiso dejarme sola ni un minuto.
My mother refused to leave me alone for a minute.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) dejarme sola ni un minuto.
Options: Mi madre no quiso · Lo conocí en una fiesta · No lo conocía de antes
Show answer
Elena
Mi madre no quiso dejarme sola ni un minuto.
My mother refused to leave me alone for a minute.
I knew he was shy; I found out he was brave sabía que era tímido; supe que era valiente
Elena
Yo sabía que era tímido. Esa noche supe que también era valiente.
I knew he was shy. That night I found out he was brave too.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Yo (blank). Esa noche supe que también era valiente.
Options: sabía que era tímido · lo conocí en una fiesta · no lo conocía de antes
Show answer
Elena
Yo sabía que era tímido. Esa noche supe que también era valiente.
I knew he was shy. That night I found out he was brave too.
Common mistake
Not quiso or quisiera here. Yo (Elena): I tried.
Aquella noche quise hablar con él, pero no pude.
That night I tried to talk to him, but I didn't manage.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| I met him at a party | lo conocí en una fiesta |
|---|---|
| you didn't know him before? | ¿no lo conocía de antes? |
| I tried to talk to him, but I didn't manage | quise hablar con él, pero no pude |
| my mother refused | mi madre no quiso |
| I knew he was shy; I found out he was brave | sabía que era tímido; supe que era valiente |
More lines from the story
- ElenaDe vista, sí. Trabajaba en la panadería.By sight, yes. He worked at the bakery.