Spanish 2 / Unit 5: Preterite vs Imperfect
5.4 Verbs That Change Meaning
Notes
Some verbs have a different English meaning in each tense.
| Verb | Imperfect | Preterite |
|---|---|---|
| conocer | knew (a person) | met |
| saber | knew | found out |
| querer | wanted | tried (affirmative); refused (negative) |
| poder | was able to / could | succeeded in (managed to) |
- Example: Conocía a Ana desde niña. (I knew her.) Conocí a Ana ayer. (I met her.)
- Example: No quise ir. (I refused to go.)
Practice
"Conocí a su hermano ayer" means...
The preterite of conocer means "met".
"Supe la noticia anoche" means...
Preterite saber means "found out".
"No quise comer el pescado" means...
Preterite negative querer means "refused".
Ready for more? Take the Unit 5 test.