Ask a Question

(Create a thread)
Go Back   Spanish language learning forums > Spanish & English Languages > Practice & Homework


Present Tense/Simple Past Confusion

 

Practice Spanish or English here. All replies to a thread should be in the same language as the first post.


Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old December 29, 2022, 06:21 AM
lizaann lizaann is offline
Ruby
 
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 32
lizaann is on a distinguished road
Present Tense/Simple Past Confusion

I am having a difficult time memorizing simple-past endings, and now have to deal with this:

Live
vivo
vives
vive
vivimos
vivís
viven

viví
viviste
vivió
vivimos
vivisteis
vivieron

How can you tell what is meant, when a present-tense conjugation is the same as a simple-past conjugation?
  #2  
Old December 29, 2022, 07:32 AM
poli's Avatar
poli poli is offline
rule 1: gravity
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: In and around New York
Posts: 7,841
Native Language: English
poli will become famous soon enoughpoli will become famous soon enough
Unfortunately context the only way to differentiate the present and preterit in this case. Often the tense is clarified with a word like ayer Ayer buscamos el libro.
__________________
Me ayuda si corrige mis errores. Gracias.
  #3  
Old December 29, 2022, 02:08 PM
lizaann lizaann is offline
Ruby
 
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 32
lizaann is on a distinguished road
Thanks for the help poli.
  #4  
Old December 29, 2022, 09:31 PM
AngelicaDeAlquezar's Avatar
AngelicaDeAlquezar AngelicaDeAlquezar is offline
Obsidiana
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 9,093
Native Language: Mexican Spanish
AngelicaDeAlquezar is on a distinguished road
I agree with Poli: context is everything.
And don't try too hard to memorize; if you practice a lot, read a lot and listen a lot, conjugation will come to you naturally.
__________________
Ain't it wonderful to be alive when the Rock'n'Roll plays...
Closed Thread

Tags
simple past

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Using present tense to narrate past events dupond Grammar 2 December 30, 2017 04:14 PM
Subjunctive: Feelings/Opinions with present/past tense Roxerz Grammar 3 October 12, 2015 03:14 PM
Help needed with the present simple tense and conjugations tal69 Grammar 1 June 22, 2014 08:18 AM
How do I change this sentence from the simple present to the past perfect? Yoodle15 Grammar 6 January 24, 2013 07:36 PM
Which tense follows "si" in present, past, etc. rkeyster Grammar 13 September 29, 2009 11:51 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:54 PM.

Forum powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

X