Past Tense in Spanish Quiz

Grade 6 · Spanish · Quiz

Test your knowledge of Spanish preterite conjugations and past tense usage.

Questions

1. What is the preterite 'nosotros' form of vivir (to live)?

   1. vivimos
   2. vivieron
   3. viviste
   4. viví
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   Answer: vivimos

   For -ir verbs in the preterite, the 'nosotros' ending is -imos, giving vivimos. This form is the same as the present tense for -ir verbs.

2. Choose the correct preterite form: Ellos ______ (ir) al parque.

   1. fue
   2. iban
   3. van
   4. fueron
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   Answer: fueron

   'Ellos' requires the third-person plural preterite of ir: fueron. 'Fue' is singular (él/ella), 'iban' is imperfect, and 'van' is present tense.

3. Which sentence uses the preterite tense correctly?

   1. Yo como tacos todos los días.
   2. Ella comió tacos ayer.
   3. Nosotros comemos tacos ahora.
   4. Tú comes tacos normalmente.
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   Answer: Ella comió tacos ayer.

   'Ella comió tacos ayer' uses comió (preterite of comer) with 'ayer' (yesterday), a completed past action. The other options use present tense verbs.

4. The preterite 'yo' form of -ar verbs ends in -é (with an accent mark).

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   Answer: True

   The accent on -é is required for the 'yo' preterite form of -ar verbs (hablé, comé does not apply — -é is for -ar; -í is for -er/-ir). The accent distinguishes it from other forms.

5. What is the preterite 'él' form of hacer (to do)?

   1. hacé
   2. hizo
   3. hacía
   4. ha hecho
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   Answer: hizo

   Hacer is an irregular preterite verb. The 'él/ella' form is hizo (not hizó — no accent). The z appears specifically in the third-person singular to preserve pronunciation.

6. Yo ______ (tener) un examen la semana pasada. (I had a test last week.)

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   Answer: tuve

   Tener is irregular in the preterite. The 'yo' form is tuve. The full paradigm is: tuve, tuviste, tuvo, tuvimos, tuvisteis, tuvieron.

7. Which of these is a time marker that typically goes with the preterite tense?

   1. siempre
   2. generalmente
   3. el año pasado
   4. cada mañana
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   Answer: el año pasado

   'El año pasado' (last year) refers to a completed period and pairs with the preterite. 'Siempre,' 'generalmente,' and 'cada mañana' signal habitual actions (imperfect).

8. What does 'Nosotros hablamos' mean in the preterite context?

   1. We are speaking
   2. We speak every day
   3. We spoke
   4. We will speak
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   Answer: We spoke

   The nosotros preterite of -ar verbs ends in -amos (hablamos), which looks identical to the present tense. Context (like time markers) clarifies the meaning as 'we spoke.'

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