Verbs that change meaning in the preterite
Type the missing word in each sentence. You hear each sentence read by a native voice.
Lo hiciste lo mejor que .
You did your best.
The rule
These verbs are not exceptions to the preterite and imperfect. They follow the same rule: the imperfect describes an ongoing state, while the preterite describes a completed event. With saber, conocer, querer, poder, and tener, that difference can change the English meaning completely.
The pattern
The imperfect form describes what someone knew, wanted, could do, or had as a state. The preterite form focuses on the moment something began, happened, or was completed.
saber
| State | Event |
|---|---|
| sabía = knew | supe = found out |
conocer
| State | Event |
|---|---|
| conocía = knew, was acquainted with | conocí = met for the first time |
querer
| State | Event |
|---|---|
| quería = wanted | quise = tried to |
poder
| State | Event |
|---|---|
| podía = could, was able to | pude = managed to |
tener
| State | Event |
|---|---|
| tenía = had | tuve = got, received |
With tener que plus an infinitive, tenía que means “was supposed to” or “needed to.” Tuve que means “had to, and did it.”
Negatives are especially important. No quería means “did not want to,” but no quise means “refused.” No podía means “was unable to” as a state, but no pude means “failed to” in one specific attempt.
Examples
- No sabía la respuesta.I did not know the answer.
- Por fin supe la verdad.I finally found out the truth.
- Conocía a Marta desde la universidad.I had known Marta since college.
- Conocí a mi esposa en Madrid.I met my wife in Madrid.
- Quería ir, pero no pude.I wanted to go, but I could not manage it.
- No quise firmar el contrato.I refused to sign the contract.
- No pude abrir la puerta.I failed to open the door.
- Tenía que salir a las seis, pero tuve que salir corriendo.I was supposed to leave at six, but I had to run out.
Watch out
- Supe la respuesta durante años. Sabía la respuesta durante años.Knowing something over a period of time is a state.
- Conocía a Juan ayer en la fiesta. Conocí a Juan ayer en la fiesta.Meeting someone for the first time is a completed event.
- No quería firmar el contrato. No quise firmar el contrato.No quería means “did not want to,” while no quise means “refused.”
- No podía abrir la puerta. No pude abrir la puerta.No pude shows that one attempt failed.