Verb Tense in Spanish - AP Spanish Language and Culture
Card 1 of 47
Which verb form is correct in context?
Estaba andando en la calle cuando, de repente, un ladrón robarme.
Which verb form is correct in context?
Estaba andando en la calle cuando, de repente, un ladrón robarme.
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An interrupted action sequence requires the imperfect tense for the interrupted action and the preterite tense for the interrupting action, in this case, "intentó." The other verbs either do not agree in tense or in number with "un ladrón."
English translation: "I was walking in the street when, all of a sudden, a thief tried to rob me."
An interrupted action sequence requires the imperfect tense for the interrupted action and the preterite tense for the interrupting action, in this case, "intentó." The other verbs either do not agree in tense or in number with "un ladrón."
English translation: "I was walking in the street when, all of a sudden, a thief tried to rob me."
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Which verb form properly completes the sentence?
cerca de la orilla del rio cuando, de repente, vi un pez.
Which verb form properly completes the sentence?
cerca de la orilla del rio cuando, de repente, vi un pez.
Tap to reveal answer
The first verb conveys an action that is interrupted, so it needs to be in the imperfect tense. Only "Andaba" is the first person imperfect form of "andar" (to walk).
English translation: "I was walking near the bank of the river when, all of a sudden, I saw a fish."
The first verb conveys an action that is interrupted, so it needs to be in the imperfect tense. Only "Andaba" is the first person imperfect form of "andar" (to walk).
English translation: "I was walking near the bank of the river when, all of a sudden, I saw a fish."
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Which verb best completes this sentence?
Si hubiera hecho el crimen, culpable, pero no lo hice.
Which verb best completes this sentence?
Si hubiera hecho el crimen, culpable, pero no lo hice.
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This is a classic conditional haber/ser structure: the right answer is sería; estaría is in the right tense but does not agree with the adjective; estuviera both does not agree with the adjective and is in the wrong tense.
This is a classic conditional haber/ser structure: the right answer is sería; estaría is in the right tense but does not agree with the adjective; estuviera both does not agree with the adjective and is in the wrong tense.
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Fill in the blank with the correct response.
Ellos en la calle cuando vieron a Claudia.
Fill in the blank with the correct response.
Ellos en la calle cuando vieron a Claudia.
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In the first part of the sentence, the action that was interrupted before they saw Claudia was an action in progress in the past; therefore the imperfect tense must be used.
In the first part of the sentence, the action that was interrupted before they saw Claudia was an action in progress in the past; therefore the imperfect tense must be used.
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Which is the correct verb form?
Estaba andando en el parque cuando, de repente, un ciervo me .
Which is the correct verb form?
Estaba andando en el parque cuando, de repente, un ciervo me .
Tap to reveal answer
This sentence expresses the completed action of the deer surprising me in the park, thus the preterite tense is the only correct response.
This sentence expresses the completed action of the deer surprising me in the park, thus the preterite tense is the only correct response.
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Fill in the blank with the correct answer.
Me ir al concerto contigo, pero no tengo dinero.
Fill in the blank with the correct answer.
Me ir al concerto contigo, pero no tengo dinero.
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The correct answer is "gustaría," the conditional tense. When translated the sentence means "I would like to go to the concert but I don't have money."
"Gusto" is the wrong tense and person. "Gustaba" and "gustó" are the wrong tense, and "gustan" is the wrong tense and number.
The correct answer is "gustaría," the conditional tense. When translated the sentence means "I would like to go to the concert but I don't have money."
"Gusto" is the wrong tense and person. "Gustaba" and "gustó" are the wrong tense, and "gustan" is the wrong tense and number.
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Fill in the blank with the correct answer.
Cuando era joven, yo cada día.
Fill in the blank with the correct answer.
Cuando era joven, yo cada día.
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The correct answer is "caminaba." Since the action happened repeatedly in the past, the tense that is needed is the imperfect. The other tenses cannot work, since they do not express the continuous action of the imperfect.
The correct answer is "caminaba." Since the action happened repeatedly in the past, the tense that is needed is the imperfect. The other tenses cannot work, since they do not express the continuous action of the imperfect.
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Fill in the blank with the correct answer.
Nosotros allí por ocho años.
Fill in the blank with the correct answer.
Nosotros allí por ocho años.
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The correct answer is vivimos. Even though the example given "por ocho años" was an action that occurred over a long period of time, since a definitive beginning and ending period is given in the sentence, the only viable verb is "vivimos," as all of the other verbs are in the imperfect tense.
The correct answer is vivimos. Even though the example given "por ocho años" was an action that occurred over a long period of time, since a definitive beginning and ending period is given in the sentence, the only viable verb is "vivimos," as all of the other verbs are in the imperfect tense.
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Fill in the blank with the correct response.
Ellos en la calle cuando vieron a Claudia.
Fill in the blank with the correct response.
Ellos en la calle cuando vieron a Claudia.
Tap to reveal answer
In the first part of the sentence, the action that was interrupted before they saw Claudia was an action in progress in the past; therefore the imperfect tense must be used.
In the first part of the sentence, the action that was interrupted before they saw Claudia was an action in progress in the past; therefore the imperfect tense must be used.
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Which is the correct verb form?
Estaba andando en el parque cuando, de repente, un ciervo me .
Which is the correct verb form?
Estaba andando en el parque cuando, de repente, un ciervo me .
Tap to reveal answer
This sentence expresses the completed action of the deer surprising me in the park, thus the preterite tense is the only correct response.
This sentence expresses the completed action of the deer surprising me in the park, thus the preterite tense is the only correct response.
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Which verb form is correct in context?
Estaba andando en la calle cuando, de repente, un ladrón robarme.
Which verb form is correct in context?
Estaba andando en la calle cuando, de repente, un ladrón robarme.
Tap to reveal answer
An interrupted action sequence requires the imperfect tense for the interrupted action and the preterite tense for the interrupting action, in this case, "intentó." The other verbs either do not agree in tense or in number with "un ladrón."
English translation: "I was walking in the street when, all of a sudden, a thief tried to rob me."
An interrupted action sequence requires the imperfect tense for the interrupted action and the preterite tense for the interrupting action, in this case, "intentó." The other verbs either do not agree in tense or in number with "un ladrón."
English translation: "I was walking in the street when, all of a sudden, a thief tried to rob me."
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Which verb form properly completes the sentence?
cerca de la orilla del rio cuando, de repente, vi un pez.
Which verb form properly completes the sentence?
cerca de la orilla del rio cuando, de repente, vi un pez.
Tap to reveal answer
The first verb conveys an action that is interrupted, so it needs to be in the imperfect tense. Only "Andaba" is the first person imperfect form of "andar" (to walk).
English translation: "I was walking near the bank of the river when, all of a sudden, I saw a fish."
The first verb conveys an action that is interrupted, so it needs to be in the imperfect tense. Only "Andaba" is the first person imperfect form of "andar" (to walk).
English translation: "I was walking near the bank of the river when, all of a sudden, I saw a fish."
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Which verb best completes this sentence?
Si hubiera hecho el crimen, culpable, pero no lo hice.
Which verb best completes this sentence?
Si hubiera hecho el crimen, culpable, pero no lo hice.
Tap to reveal answer
This is a classic conditional haber/ser structure: the right answer is sería; estaría is in the right tense but does not agree with the adjective; estuviera both does not agree with the adjective and is in the wrong tense.
This is a classic conditional haber/ser structure: the right answer is sería; estaría is in the right tense but does not agree with the adjective; estuviera both does not agree with the adjective and is in the wrong tense.
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Which verb best completes this sentence?
Si hubiera hecho el crimen, culpable, pero no lo hice.
Which verb best completes this sentence?
Si hubiera hecho el crimen, culpable, pero no lo hice.
Tap to reveal answer
This is a classic conditional haber/ser structure: the right answer is sería; estaría is in the right tense but does not agree with the adjective; estuviera both does not agree with the adjective and is in the wrong tense.
This is a classic conditional haber/ser structure: the right answer is sería; estaría is in the right tense but does not agree with the adjective; estuviera both does not agree with the adjective and is in the wrong tense.
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Which verb form is correct in context?
Estaba andando en la calle cuando, de repente, un ladrón robarme.
Which verb form is correct in context?
Estaba andando en la calle cuando, de repente, un ladrón robarme.
Tap to reveal answer
An interrupted action sequence requires the imperfect tense for the interrupted action and the preterite tense for the interrupting action, in this case, "intentó." The other verbs either do not agree in tense or in number with "un ladrón."
English translation: "I was walking in the street when, all of a sudden, a thief tried to rob me."
An interrupted action sequence requires the imperfect tense for the interrupted action and the preterite tense for the interrupting action, in this case, "intentó." The other verbs either do not agree in tense or in number with "un ladrón."
English translation: "I was walking in the street when, all of a sudden, a thief tried to rob me."
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Which verb form properly completes the sentence?
cerca de la orilla del rio cuando, de repente, vi un pez.
Which verb form properly completes the sentence?
cerca de la orilla del rio cuando, de repente, vi un pez.
Tap to reveal answer
The first verb conveys an action that is interrupted, so it needs to be in the imperfect tense. Only "Andaba" is the first person imperfect form of "andar" (to walk).
English translation: "I was walking near the bank of the river when, all of a sudden, I saw a fish."
The first verb conveys an action that is interrupted, so it needs to be in the imperfect tense. Only "Andaba" is the first person imperfect form of "andar" (to walk).
English translation: "I was walking near the bank of the river when, all of a sudden, I saw a fish."
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Fill in the blank with the correct response.
Ellos en la calle cuando vieron a Claudia.
Fill in the blank with the correct response.
Ellos en la calle cuando vieron a Claudia.
Tap to reveal answer
In the first part of the sentence, the action that was interrupted before they saw Claudia was an action in progress in the past; therefore the imperfect tense must be used.
In the first part of the sentence, the action that was interrupted before they saw Claudia was an action in progress in the past; therefore the imperfect tense must be used.
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Which is the correct verb form?
Estaba andando en el parque cuando, de repente, un ciervo me .
Which is the correct verb form?
Estaba andando en el parque cuando, de repente, un ciervo me .
Tap to reveal answer
This sentence expresses the completed action of the deer surprising me in the park, thus the preterite tense is the only correct response.
This sentence expresses the completed action of the deer surprising me in the park, thus the preterite tense is the only correct response.
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Fill in the blank with the correct response.
Ellos en la calle cuando vieron a Claudia.
Fill in the blank with the correct response.
Ellos en la calle cuando vieron a Claudia.
Tap to reveal answer
In the first part of the sentence, the action that was interrupted before they saw Claudia was an action in progress in the past; therefore the imperfect tense must be used.
In the first part of the sentence, the action that was interrupted before they saw Claudia was an action in progress in the past; therefore the imperfect tense must be used.
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Which is the correct verb form?
Estaba andando en el parque cuando, de repente, un ciervo me .
Which is the correct verb form?
Estaba andando en el parque cuando, de repente, un ciervo me .
Tap to reveal answer
This sentence expresses the completed action of the deer surprising me in the park, thus the preterite tense is the only correct response.
This sentence expresses the completed action of the deer surprising me in the park, thus the preterite tense is the only correct response.
← Didn't Know|Knew It →