Difference between imperfecto and indefinido

harshad d.A2Kwiziq community member

Difference between imperfecto and indefinido

"we were studing at the university of Salamanca during the 90'

While translating the verb study in spanish , I think we will use preterite indefinido (pretertio perfecto simple) because of time frame (during the 90) instead of preterite imperfecto. 

Please guide me on this. 

Asked 4 years ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in Kwiziq

Hola Harshad

We could use both, the imperfecto or the indefinido here with this time frame:

"durante los 90"; but in this case our sentence is:

 "We were studying at the University of Salamanca during the 90s."

This indicates that the tense used should be the one expressing "continuity" (were studying), i.e. the imperfect estudiábamos.

If the sentence was saying instead:

 "We studied at the University of Salamanca during the 90s."

Then the verb in the past simple "studied" shows a completed action in the past (something we see as a completed action during that decade). In this case it is more likely to see the indefinido "Estudiamos....."

I hope this clarified it.

Saludos

Inma

Judith H.A2Kwiziq community member

In the test I just did the English said ‘they trained every day during the competitions’.  I used the pretérito but this was marked incorrect, which doesn’t seem consistent with your last answer?

Difference between imperfecto and indefinido

"we were studing at the university of Salamanca during the 90'

While translating the verb study in spanish , I think we will use preterite indefinido (pretertio perfecto simple) because of time frame (during the 90) instead of preterite imperfecto. 

Please guide me on this. 

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