100 Examples of Verbs in the Past (Preterite)

The past tenseeither past tense verbs, are those that place the action in a time prior to the present. For example: fell, you’re gone, we were.

The past tenses are located at a point prior to the moment of enunciation. In Spanish, the past tenses are those that offer the greatest number of expressive alternatives. For example: I sang, I had gone up, I was leaving, I would have had.

Verbs conjugated in the past tense appear in both the indicative and subjunctive moods, with five forms in the first and three in the second, between simple and compound tenses.

simple times

Simple past tenses are made up of a single word to designate the action.

indicative mode

past perfect simple. It refers to a punctual and completed action from the past, with no connection to the present. For example: I spoke, you broke, showed, we went, you claimed, they changed.
past tense. Also called imperfect tense, indicates actions that are not located at a specific time, but rather had a long or unspecified duration. For example: I loved, you sang, you slept, we worked, you rested, you ran.

Subjunctive mode

imperfect tense. In subordinate clauses, it expresses something that happened simultaneously or before the moment of the enunciation, depending on whether the verb of the main clause is in the present or in the past. It is also used to show courtesy or caution. For example: wake up, read, find, turn out, attack, go up.

compound times

The past tenses are formed with two words: verb to have (conjugated) + participle.

indicative mode

Past Perfect Compound. It alludes to an action from the past that is connected to the present or that is still in force. It is formed with the auxiliary verb to have conjugated in the present of the indicative mood followed by the participle of the main verb. For example: I have directed, you have left, you have recognized, we have taken, you have forgotten, you have concretized.
past tense pluperfect. It gives an account of a past prior to another past. It is formed with the auxiliary verb to have conjugated in the imperfect tense followed by the participle of the main verb. For example: you had spoken, you had seen, it had rained, we had agreed, you had endured, you had escaped.
Past perfect. It alludes to a situation in which the first action must have finished for the next one to happen, and it is a rarely used tense. It is formed with the auxiliary verb to have in simple past tense followed by the participle of the main verb. For example: I had resolved, you had delivered, you had decided, we had arrived, you had found, they had left.

Subjunctive mode

Perfect tense. Expresses actions that have already finished but are related to the action of the main clause. Sometimes, it can refer to actions that will end in the future. It is formed with the auxiliary verb to have conjugated in the present of the subjunctive followed by the participle of the main verb. For example: you have feared, you have exposed, you have modified, we have read, you have arrived, you have responded.
past tense pluperfect. It transmits actions that could have occurred or would have occurred in the past, if the circumstances had been different. It is formed with the auxiliary verb to have conjugated in the imperfect past of the subjunctive followed by the participle of the main verb. For example: You would have known, you would have manifested, you would have lied, we would have listened, you would have been able to, they would have rescued.

Verb tenses

Examples of verbs in the past

Simple past tense (indicative mood)

I scared I expelled I sailed down they hit I hit they swept they talked we programmed they ate you did you underestimated you dazzled you washed you touched

Past tense or past tense (indicative mood)

they opened they got they danced they played they participated they closed they they perished we gave back they lifted they painted they found they manipulated they scratched

Imperfect past tense (subjunctive mood)

acquitbelieveprojectgrabblamewecouldrepentdestroyremovewakesneezewrongdoconfessedinjuriesrecited

Past perfect tense (indicative mood)

I have sneezed, we have looked, they have brought, they have assaulted, you have gone, they have moved, you have destroyed, you have walked, I have done, they have won, I have understood, they have painted, we have resolved, they have begged, they have bitten

Pluperfect past tense (indicative mood)

you had won you had been born you had laughed you had seized you had run you had kept you had threatened you had demolished you had scored you had armed you had struck you had reigned you had kissed you had played you had repaired

past tense (indicative mood)

would have created, would have barked, would have known, would have demonstrated, would have spelled, would have invented, would have been, would have remembered, would have played, would have gone, would have spent, would have killed, would have rescued, would have composed, would have dug

Present perfect (subjunctive mood)

have resolved let’s have traveled have calmed have imagined have stolen have criticized let’s have begun have defended have we renewed have finished have we consummated have consumed have obtained have jumped have lost

Pluperfect past tense (subjunctive mood)

we would have talked I would have lost I would have celebrated we would have cooked I would have drawn I would have told I would have arrived I would have said I would have recorded I would have consolidated I would have traveled I would have promised I would have frightened I would have seen

indicative mode

Examples of sentences with verbs in the past tense

I have traveled 500 kilometers today.
It operated urgently.
He left without telling us anything.
they started the rains that they had announced.
we could have avoid the displeasure.
have assumed national and provincial authorities.
Did everything that he was at your reach.
Exploded summer on the coast of Brazil.
they arrived without warning
I was trying convince them that they don’t know rush in sell.
don’t you I would have found Yeah I was going at that time.
agreed stop seeing each other for a while.
Said don’t you mattered.
She lived a day, never saved a weight.
I’ve been all week thinking about what I said.
not me interested continue with the conversation.
when he showed upnot we could to believe.
I know they took a whole day for that?
We had arranged to see us the next day.
we were about to start the car when We received the news.
forty people participated competition.
I have traveled bakeries and confectioneries and not I’ve got that cake.
they understood that it was time to leave the room.
Already they had started winter break and not yet we knew Yeah we had approved.
I greeted to the boyfriends and me I was.
Only when Fermín had received the letter, They left to light the true reasons for their actions.
He left desperate screaming.
not us lent the slightest attention.
we were screaming so that we will listenthe volume of the music it was insane.
Tea Won the jackpot!
I used to buy me a record a month.
No there was way to calm him down.
Us congratulated for how well we sang last night.
We have decided renew contract.
The mind not could you to come.
The thief prowled always around.
have discussed for hours and I don’t know they put ok.
Its performance exceeded all expectations.
Us they gave one week extension for delivery.
She lived scared; not that way could continue.
I met to my future boss.
we knew the way and equally we lost.
But it would have been Because of him, I would never have met you.
I have been part of this club my whole life.
you were present in all important decisions.
we were convinced that they would win the contest.
They were very hard years
Every Christmas we we came back to find.
whatdid you know that Clara knows He received?
had announced the test results the day before, but I didn’t knew.

Interactive test to practice

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