preterite
- noun
- /ˈprɛtərɪt/
- Specialized
:
pretérito
- When writing a story, it is important to use the preterite tense to indicate past actions.
- strong preterite
- preterite form
- use of the preterite
Examples
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In fiction, convention encourages the reader to view the past as present: the default grammatical tense of narrative is the preterite (Currie 30).
Academic text (2018) -
The old man infers, because of the use of the past preterite, that his son is already dead.
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That is to say, they are preterite in form but present in meaning.
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The present is similar to movement under the camera, while the preterite is similar to movement toward the camera.
Academic text (1992) -
Since the Second World War, though, many German narratives have appeared in which the present tense is used interchangeably with the preterite.
Academic text (2004) -
The comparative examples of Biblical characters are expressed in the preterite: "De las aguas salí."
Academic text (1992) -
While the unmarked tense of most narrative genres is the preterite, sporadic use of the present tense within a past-tense narration is not uncommon.
Academic text (1992) -
In Spanish, the preterite is commonly used to describe completed events.
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The teacher explained that using the preterite correctly helps convey a clearer timeline in writing.
Synonyms
31
1.0
A verb tense that shows actions finished before now
A past tense that shows actions finished at a specific time
Surface Forms
Etymology
Preterite comes from the Latin word praeterire, which means 'to go past' or 'pass by'. So, preterite literally means 'gone by' and is the verb tense we use for actions that happened and finished in the past.