Using the preterite tense in Spanish to talk about experiences

El Pretérito Indefinido is preferred to talk about experiences

Although it is still used in some regions, the use of El Pretérito Perfecto when talking about general experiences in life, is rapidly decreasing in favour of El Pretérito Indefinido.

Spanish speakers in Latin America prefer to use the El Pretérito Indefinido to talk about life experiences with or without specific time references simply because in their minds, the events are over. Have a look at these examples:

Yo viajé mucho por el mundo.I have travelled the world a lot.

Ella dice que nunca vio un OVNI.She says that she's never seen a UFO.

Jaime aprendió muchos idiomas.Jaime has learned many languages.

Ella se enamoró tres veces.She has fallen in love three times

El Pretérito Indefinido is the preferred tense in Latin America.

Compare this to using El Pretérito Perfecto when talking about general experiences in life, especially when asking about them. These are still grammatically correct, but no longer used as often as El Pretérito Indefinido. Here are some El Pretérito Perfecto examples:

¿Tú has montado en globo?Have you [ever] been in a hot air balloon?

Yo he viajado mucho por el mundo.I have travelled the world a lot.

¿Has jugado al golf alguna vez?Have you ever played golf?

Ella dice que nunca ha visto un OVNI.She says she has never seen a UFO.

Some common time phrases used when talking about experiences are: 

  • Nunca (never)

  • Siempre (always)

  • Alguna vez (ever/at some point)

  • Tres veces (three times)

  • En mi vida (in my life)

For other uses of El Pretérito Indefinido see also When to use the perfect tense versus the simple past (Perfecto vs Indefinido)

 

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Examples and resources

Ella dice que nunca ha visto un OVNI.She says she has never seen a UFO.
¿Has jugado al golf alguna vez?Have you ever played golf?
Yo he viajado mucho por el mundo.I have travelled the world a lot.
Ellos han cometido muchos errores en su vida.They have made many mistakes in their lives.
¿Tú has montado en globo?Have you [ever] been in a hot air balloon?
Jaime aprendió muchos idiomas.Jaime has learned many languages.
Ella se enamoró tres veces.She has fallen in love three times
Yo viajé mucho por el mundo.I have travelled the world a lot.
Ella dice que nunca vio un OVNI.She says that she's never seen a UFO.
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