Spanish 2 / Unit 5: Preterite vs Imperfect
5.2 Interrupted Actions
Notes
Use the imperfect for the action in progress and the preterite for the action that interrupts it.
- Often joined by cuando: Dormía cuando sonó el teléfono. (I was sleeping when the phone rang.)
- Mientras connects two ongoing imperfect actions: Yo leía mientras él cocinaba.
- Example: Caminábamos al parque cuando empezó a llover.
Practice
Yo ___ (dormir) cuando el teléfono ___ (sonar).
Dormía is the ongoing action and sonó is the interruption.
Mientras nosotros ___ (comer), la luz ___ (apagarse).
Comíamos is in progress and se apagó interrupted it.
In "Ella leía cuando entré," which action interrupts the other?
Entré is a quick event that interrupted her reading.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 5 test.