Choosing which preterite to use

Question

My problem is with the word ‘Indefinido’! It seems to convey the opposite of what is intended.  Surely hubo conveys something defined and complete; whereas habia  conveys an incomplete and hence ‘imperfect’ ( Latin root meaning not fully done) past event?

Silvia Píriz · Accepted Answer

Hola Brian R.
That’s a really good observation and you’re not wrong to find the terminology a bit confusing!
The name “indefinido” doesn’t mean “undefined” in the sense of being vague. It actually refers to an action that is seen as complete and bounded in time (i.e. it has a clear beginning and end), which is why forms like hubo are used for finished events.
On the other hand, the imperfect (imperfecto)—like había—describes actions that are ongoing, habitual or without a clear endpoint in the past. So “imperfect” here means “not completed” or “not viewed as a whole”.
So in short:

hubo → completed event (preterite / indefinido)

había → ongoing/background situation (imperfect)

The terminology can feel counterintuitive at first, but it’s really about how the action is viewed, not whether it’s “defined” or not.
Hope that helps clarify it.
Saludos
Silvia