Difference between Pretérito Perfecto and Indefinido
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One of the common mistakes made by Spanish students is the difference between the Pretérito Perfecto and the Indefinido. This lesson will show you how to use both tenses.
Pretérito perfecto | Indefinido |
---|---|
For actions completed at a recent moment in time. El correo ha llegado. (The mail has arrived.) | For an action completed at a specific moment in the past. El avión aterrizó a las doce en punto. (The plane landed at four o’clock.) |
For actions or events occurring in the past that do not refer to a concrete time. Ana nos ha esperado en recepción. (Ana has waited for us in the reception area.) | For an action or event that lasted for a specific period of time when you can determine how long the action took place. Esperó dos horas en la estación. (He waited for two hours at the station.) |
For an action or event initiated in the past that is continuing into the present. Hemos vivido aquí por más de 7 años. (We have lived here for over 7 years.) | For series of actions or events completed in the past even if you cannot determine when these actions took place or for how long. Me levanté, desayuné, me duché y me fui a trabajar. (I woke up, had breakfast, took a shower and went to work.) |
/ | For actions that are not usually repeated using the following expressions: Mi hija cumplió 4 años. (My daughter turned 4.) |
The actions in “Pretérito Perfecto” are related to the present whereas the actions in Indefinido are not.
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Pretérito Perfecto | Indefinido |
---|---|
hoy (today) | ayer (yesterday) |
hace dos horas (two hours ago) | anteayer (the day before yesterday) |
esta semana (this week) | anoche (Last night) |
estos días (these days) | la semana pasada (last week) |
este martes/ mes/ año (this Tuesday/month/ year) | el mes/ año pasado (last month/year) |
nunca (never) | hace tres semanas (3 weeks ago) |
todavía no/ ya (not yet/ already) | en 2001 (in 2001) |
alguna vez (sometime) | de repente (suddenly) |
últimamente/ en los últimos tiempos (lately) | el día de su cumpleaños (the day of his birthday) |
hace poco (recently) | al comenzar mi trabajo (when I started working) |
If you would like to know more about the uses and the conjugation of Pretérito Perfecto and the Pretérito Indefinido, then have a look at our pages!
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Hello! My name is Ainhoa, I am Spanish and I live in Bilbao, a city in the north of Spain. I love languages and learning about new cultures, that is why I decided to teach Spanish. I find it very gratifying to see the students improve.
I am patient and cheerful, and I strive to create a comfortable environment where students are not afraid to make mistakes. I am positive and I firmly believe that anyone with effort, perseverance and correct accompaniment can improve.
I am an online Spanish teacher certified by ELE International and I have been teaching Spanish since 2019. In 2020 I formalized my business and became freelance.
In these years, I have studied Spanish grammar thoroughly and I have tried many teaching methods that were taught to me in my training, which has led me to create my own method with what I have seen has given better results. I use spaced repetition, create projects, do real-life rollplays, and have the student come to the correct conclusion on their own using questions. For all this, we will use manuals that will guide your learning, the campus diffusion books.
I have helped students of all levels to improve Spanish until they can speak correctly. Each student learns differently and has their own challenges, so I have learned which resources work best for each person.
In my classes you will find a smily face and a relaxed atmosphere, in which you will feel free to ask questions as much as necessary and to express yourself without fear of mistakes.
See you soon!
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I can highly recommend her. She is very accurate, on time, well prepared. She is a structured person and I like it to learn with her. She is a patient and positive person. I’ve learned a lot already.
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Gisèle is a French teacher since more than 5 years. She teaches to students in group or individually. Foreign student or French student can ask Gisèle's help for an examen or just to remember them their French grammar. She uses many learning tools as texts, audios, role-playing games, videos, images, conversations and books in order to work pronunciation, grammar, conjugation and speaking. I recommend her !
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I am a certified Spanish Teacher. I have worked in education for more than ten years and specialized in educational psychology and music therapy. I make my class very dynamic and creative. If you enjoy music and with to learn with a creative method, this is your class!
I have also worked with children and adults with special needs and language disorders (dyslexia for example), so If you need specialized methods in learning a second language, I can help you!
Wish to meet you!
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Maria is a passioned Spanish teacher. She is certificated by DELE and teaches to kids, teenagers and adults. She makes her own lessons which are very personalized and attractive. Indeed, she uses many visual tools as videos, musics or pictures. Maria is involved in student learning progress and gives sometimes homework. I recommend her, students can be comfortable with her !
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Hi, my name is Alejandro!
I am a native Spanish speaker from Caracas, Venezuela. I have been teaching Spanish for more than five years, and I am an honest, considerate and friendly person. Also, I have experience teaching people of all ages and levels. Furthermore, I am here to tailor to your needs and help you to improve your language proficiency, our sessions can focus on any of the language skills, especially conversation which is my primary focus to help students.
If you want to become more fluent in speaking, increase your vocabulary and pronunciation, start a lesson with me!
I speak English (Level C1) therefore, this language could be of help during the lesson if we need it. Since I am a Philosophy student, I am especially qualified to help you develop your academic writing skills and, if you are also interested, I could teach you Philosophy while we speak Spanish.
If you have any questions or concerns please message me and I will get back to you as soon as possible!
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Alejandro is a smiling and nice person. He's also a great Spanish teacher to beginner as advanced with great teaching materials ! Students could learn Spanish grammar and vocabulary by attractive pictures, discussions and exercises ! Moreover Alejandro creates his own Spanish courses based on students level and demands !
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My name is Zoe and I’m a native English speaker from the UK!
I speak four other languages though so I understand how nerve-racking it can be to study a new language and I understand what the typical errors are so I will support you when you make mistakes and I will actually encourage you to make mistakes because ultimately that's how we learn!
I believe I’m an incredibly communicative, open teacher, having taught in 4 countries. Establishing trust and a channel of communication in the classroom adds more life and substance to our lessons where all student needs are met. I like to think of myself as sympathetic, and because I’d been in classes where I was far from challenged and excited, I take having fun in the classroom very seriously (paradoxical pun intended). I have extensive experience teaching both adults and children at different levels and age groups, so I come with a lot of resources, ideas, and activities that are fun, practice different sets of skills and sub-skills, and student- centered.
I can help you with job applications, cover letters, exam preparation, pronunciation and general English.
Since I value learner autonomy and consistently promote it, I encourage my students to be open about their needs so our lessons would be as informative and efficient as possible.
I’m curious, inquisitive, and constantly eager to
experience more, learn more, and of course, teach more! Ireland
was a tad too small for me, so I’ve always had the urge to travel the
world. So far, I’ve taught in Mexico, Italy, Egypt, and Spain – where I
currently reside. I have many creative hobbies such as reading,
drawing, and photography, and a very special fascination with
crime documentaries (perhaps I was a lawyer in my past life).
I embarked on my EFL journey 4 years ago, and I decided it was the
job for me. It all started in the South of Italy where I got the chance
to teach both adults and children and knew I’d found my dream
job. After a while, I knew I had to take my wanderlust and love for
education elsewhere, so I hopped on a plane to Mexico and took my
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Council in Egypt, where I took my classroom experience and
married it with pedagogy by doing vocational courses such as the
TYLEC and DELTA M1. Aside from these courses, I did IELTS
Teacher training, and Teaching English in the Early Years
Classroom training. By the time I got to Spain, my thirst for
knowledge was yet to be quenched, so I applied for DELTA M3 to
keep myself intellectually stimulated during quarantine.
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Zoe is a well-prepared teacher with a lot of experience in teaching, also in groups. She is experienced in using Skype and Zoom and has her own learning materials.
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Hello, I have a BA, MA and CELTA, with 15 years' experience in teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. I have taught groups and 1-1, children and adults, in class and online, General and Business English, all levels from Beginners to Proficiency, and have successfully prepared students for exams in IELTS and FCE. I employ the '3 Ps' method - Presentation., Practice, Production - to help you acquire skills in grammar and vocabulary, reading and writing, listening and speaking. I employ a variety of teaching materials, including textbooks, audiovisual aids and realia. If you need help with any of these skills, get in touch!
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Nicholas teaches English since 15 years to any level and age. He adaptes his lessons according student needs and demands. He uses the 3 P teaching method (Presentation, Production, Practice) which enables the student to work his/her English grammar and vocabulary and then use them to improve his/her pronunciation and speak fluently English . He uses different tools as book, exercises, videos or games. I recommend him !
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I love to teach my language ♥
My name is Abdelrahman, I'm a native Arabic speaker. I'm passionate about teaching Arabic. so it will be a great pleasure for me to help you learn Standard Arabic and Egyptian dialects.
My teaching approach will be easy and a lot of fun, Because I'm going to set up a suitable syllabus for every student depends on their needs and levels. and I want to make your path to learn easier and shorter. I'm looking forward to seeing you.
I often use these books in my teaching way:
- Arabic courses for English-speaking students (Madina book)
- Arabic between your hands.
- Al-kitab Al-Asasi (the basic book for non-Arabic speakers).
- kallimni Arabi bishweesh (Egyptian Arabic).
-Egyptian vernacular
I'm also choosing the best things from different books, so they can be suitable for my students.
I'm trying my best to make my lessons interesting and not boring, I have taught different ages from children to older people, and alhamdulillah it was a fantastic lesson.
hope to see you soon :)
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Abdelrahman is great Arabic teacher. He uses many teaching tools for providing the best learning to his students and adaptes each one to students level and needs. His Arabic couses are very structured, student can learn easily Arabic grammar, vocabulary, writing and pronunciation ! Abdelrahman is also a smiling and nice person, students can be in confidence with him and improve themself quickly.
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Learn Arabic with a native speaker! Arabic is a beautiful, poetic language and I'm happy to spread my love for this language to others. I will use everyday materials; texts, images, videos and audio files to help you learn, speak and use the language in everyday contexts. Weather you are a beginner or have a basic knwoledge of Arabic, I will customize your learning experience to teach you grammar and vocabulary you will actually use in life or at work. Moreover, I can teach you the Jordanian/Palestinian dialect and help you understand the rest of the Levant and the egyptian dialects.
Tell me why you're interested in learning Arabic, register for a free first lesson!
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Maysa is a new teacher and ready to teach beginners in Arabic. I had a great time speaking to her and can definitely recommend her as a teacher.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Maysa O.Thank you Henrik, I had a great time speaking to you as well!
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Hello everyone! I am Vanessa and I am 30 years old. I graduated in Modern Literature at the University of Bologna and I have a Master's degree in Science of Religions obtained at the University of Padua intrateneo with Ca' Foscari. I started tutoring Italian a few years ago mainly to high school kids, who got very good results; this past year I have been teaching adults and children.
When I lecture with children, I like to make sure that they choose how they prefer to lecture, and I propose to them a nice talk on a topic of their choice, or to read a simple story in Italian, or to play some didactic game to better remember the Italian terms seen before.
With adults who prefer a more theoretical approach, I try to identify the topics in which they have the most difficulty and propose a lesson about it; I use small examples to allow the student to test what they have understood so far. I also provide the notes about the lesson.
If a more practical approach is preferred, I propose a conversation on a topic of choice, writing down the new words and making them available to the student.
I hope you will want to learn Italian with me!
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Vanessa is a very organised and joyous teacher. She structures her lessons based on the student needs, level and age. The material she uses is personalised and interactive.
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Natsu is a nice and professional teacher who takes care of her students and guides them through the whole learning process. She provides a unique view of the study of the Japanese language, together with very interesting observations and comparisons between Japanese and Italian.
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Hello there! My name is Phyllis Kasala and I must say I love teaching. The love for teaching and being a life-long learner found me at a tender age of 14, since then i knew it was my destiny to share my knowledge with the world. I have a bachelor's degree with the University of Pretoria and it is a very esteemed varsity i also went further and secured a Teaching English To Foreign Learners certificate (TEFL) which shows that not only do I want to learn, but I do not like limiting myself. English may be difficult to learn and understand to a person who has no clue about the language but, that's why you have me! I make sure that I teach in a relaxed and quiet environment where the learner feels safe and free to make mistakes because we all must remember making mistakes is a vital part of learning. I am currently on my journey to enroll into my honours which will be about researching how to teach learners with learning difficulties such as ADHD and much more. I cater for all learners be it visual learners, kinetic learners, auditory learners and verbal learners which basically means I cater for all, during my lessons. I make use of creative and colorful PowerPoints that have sound and easy gimmicks to help remember what you may have learnt on that specific day. So do not fret as we will walk this journey together. Just remember I am close friends with all the letters in the English alphabet and I don't know "y" (just a joke to cheer you up)!
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Phyllis is a very organised and young teacher. She offers both online and in person classes and her learning material is very clear, interactive and well organised.
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T.E.F.L. certified teacher and interpreter as well with experience in teaching online and offline provides English lesson to anyone wants to learn and practise this Language
Enjoy it!
Vocabulary, grammar, listening and role plays speaking activities materials used to practise.
Cambridge Assessment preparation provided
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Laura is an excellent teacher with a lot of experience. She is very professional and friendly, ready to adapt her lessons to students' needs, goals and levels. Students can choose to improve and learn all the aspects of the language with her.
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Learning Spanish is no big deal now, it´s a huge accomplishment. I´m here to help you to learn this marvelous language as easy as possible. I count on a 10 years’ experience of teaching Spanish. Therefore, for whatever reason – travel, apply to university, DELE exams, speaking to family or friends, work, or love- I will guide you along the way, from beginner to advanced.
First of all, I need to know your goal because it would let me design a plan especially for you to help you achieve it. Generally, we will follow the communicative approach. We don’t just dive right into verb tenses or lists of vocabulary words. Instead, I prefer to teach you the ins-and-outs of the Spanish language in a more different way! So, we will be using a variety of resources such as movies, songs, essays, stories, news and interviews, etc.
If you want to know more about me, I should say I´m studying Advanced Hispanic Studies for a PHD degree at the University of Valencia. I hold a master´s degree in General Linguistics and a Bachelor's degree in Spanish Language. As a teacher, I’ve held online classes, face to face classes and several courses at different institutes and the University of Applied Science and Technology in my country of origin, Iran.
One thing more, I am a big fan of learning new languages and like to do it enjoying it. I will always make sure that you are enjoying learning Spanish.
Don’t hesitate more and let’s start together. Why don't you just book your first session with me?
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We took group lessons with Elnaz in Spanish. Her teaching method is efficient and clear. Her communication is quick and very friendly. Would recommend her as a teacher!
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Hola, qué tal!
I have always enjoyed working with languages, culture, education and people. I am originally from Venezuela so Spanish is my native language and I have been living in Belgium since 2009. My degree as Master in Industrial Sciences is equated here.
I am a teacher and since 2018 I have been teaching Spanish to adults. I am able to boost the self-confidence of my students. My lessons are for absolute beginners (direction level 1 and 2), intermediate (direction level 3) and advanced (direction level 4). Conversation is also possible. I focus on the four most important skills: speaking skills; listening skills, writing skills and reading skills. And also on grammar and spontaneous communication.
Teaching and language are just my passion and I would like to teach it to others. I work with adults and seniors, but know that every person learns in a different way. Pleasure in learning and daring to communicate are paramount to me: We use Spanish book and workbook; audio material (Spanish songs), card games and more!
Los espero!
Anamaria
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Anamaria is a very friendly and open teacher who already has quite some experience in teaching Spanish courses. She is proficient in teaching online and can teach both beginners and advanced students. In her classes she puts a lot of emphasis on a comfortable learning environment and on an interactive and fun learning process. So don't hesitate any longer and book your first lesson with Anamaria today!
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