PRETÉRITO E IMPERFECTO – EJERCICIO 2 ©
Traduzca las siguientes frases al español.
Translate the following sentences into Spanish.
(It will help you to refer to the examples in Lesson 1 on the Preterit and Imperfect.)
1. Sandra found out the news this morning. (saber)
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2. He met his wife in Chicago. (conocer)
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3. Carlos tried to open the door, but it was locked. (querer) (locked = cerrada con llave)
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4. The baby refused to eat. (no querer)
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5. We didn’t manage to finish the project today. (poder) (project = proyecto)
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6. We knew she was angry. (saber) (angry = enojada)
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7. I didn’t know her when she arrived last year. (conocer)
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8. María Teresa didn’t want to work at the factory. (querer) (factory = fábrica)
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9. I wanted to accompany them, but I needed to study. (querer)
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10. She couldn’t come to class because she was ill. (no poder) (ill = enferma)
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Respuestas:
1. Sandra supo las noticias esta mañana. (When used in the preterit, the verb saber means
to find out.)
2. Él conoció a su esposa en Chicago. (You should use conocer in the preterit when
referring to meeting someone for the first time.)
3. Carlos quiso abrir la puerta, pero estaba cerrada con llave. (Querer appears in the
preterit when the person tries to do something and fails.)
4. El bebé no quiso comer. (No querer means to refuse when used in the preterit. No
quería comer would mean that the baby does not want to eat, but indicates nothing
about attempting to feed the baby accompanied by the baby’s refusal.)
5. No pudimos terminar el proyecto hoy. (Poder used in the preterit indicates an attempt
accompanied by a failure.)
6. Nosotros sabíamos que ella estaba enojada. (Saber used in the imperfect means to
know.)
7. Yo no la conocía cuando ella llegó el año pasado. (The imperfect of conocer means to
know.)
8. María Teresa no quería trabajar en la fábrica. (No querer in the imperfect means not to
want.)
9. Yo quería acompañarlos, pero necesitaba estudiar. (Querer in the imperfect means to
want.)
10. Ella no podía venir a la clase porque estaba enferma. (Poder in the imperfect means
to be able to. This usage may be confused with that of number 5 above, but in this case,
there is no attempt to go to class, just illness that prevents it.)