Learning when to use the preterite and the imperfect in Spanish is one of the biggest challenges for beginners. But did you know that some verbs actually change their meaning depending on the tense?

Understanding these shifts will help you sound more natural and avoid confusion. Let’s break down some common verbs that change meaning in the preterite versus the imperfect.

1. Conocer – To Know vs. To Meet

Conocer means "to know" someone or be familiar with a place, but in the preterite, it means "to meet" for the first time.

Ejemplo: Yo conocía a María desde la infancia. (I knew María since childhood.)

Ejemplo: Ayer conocí a María en la fiesta. (Yesterday, I met María at the party.)

2. Saber – To Know vs. To Find Out

Saber normally means "to know" information, but in the preterite, it means "to find out" something suddenly.

Ejemplo: Juan sabía la respuesta. (Juan knew the answer.)

Ejemplo: Juan supo la verdad ayer. (Juan found out the truth yesterday.)

3. Querer – To Want vs. To Try

In the imperfect, querer means "to want." But in the preterite, it means "to try" (or "to refuse" in the negative).

Ejemplo: Yo quería viajar a España. (I wanted to travel to Spain.)

Ejemplo: Yo quise viajar a España, pero no pude. (I tried to travel to Spain, but I couldn’t.)

Ejemplo: No quise comer más. (I refused to eat more.)

4. Poder – To Be Able vs. To Manage

Poder in the imperfect means "to be able to," but in the preterite, it means "to manage to" do something.

Ejemplo: Ella podía correr rápido. (She was able to run fast.)

Ejemplo: Finalmente, ella pudo ganar la carrera. (Finally, she managed to win the race.)

Why Does This Matter?

Recognizing these shifts in meaning will improve your listening and speaking skills. Spanish speakers naturally pick the right verb tense to convey these differences—now you can too!

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