How To Describe Past Events in Spanish

Today we will discuss how to describe past events in Spanish. Sometimes you'll run into a old friend who you have not seen for many years. This person knows everything about your life in the past, but he/she has no idea what you are up to right now. In this lesson, we are going to learn to explain things from the past that are still the same and also how to talk about things that have changed.

Take a look at this e-mail from Sebastian, who has not seen Pedro since high school 15 years ago.

Hola Pedro, como estas? Estaba mirando fotos de la escuela anoche, y me acorde de vos y lo bien que la pasabamos en la escuela. Bueno, te cuento, algunas cosas han cambiado un poco. Ya no persigo chicas, me case y tuve un hijo. He dejado de fumar y ya no bebo como antes, aunque todavia me gusta tomar algunas cervezas los fines de semana. Afortunadamente sigo teniendo pelo, y todavia uso gafas, porque sigo sin poder ver los numeros del autobus cuando esta lejos. Espero verte pronto y recordar Viejas epocas. Ya ves, me he vuelto un hombre responsible pero sigo siendo un buen tipo.

Abrazos,
Sebastian

Hi Peter, how are you? I was looking at pictures from school last night, and I thought of you and how what a good time we had in school. Well, I tell you, some things have changed a bit. I am no longer chasing girls, I got married and I had a son. I stopped smoking and I do not drink like I did before, although I still like to drink a few beers on the weekends. Fortunately I still have hair and I still wear glasses, because I still can't see the bus numbers from far away. I hope to see you soon and talk about old times. You see, I've become a responsible man but I'm still a good guy.

Cheers,
Sebastian

As you can see, there are different structures to speak about the different things that Sebastian still does and what he has stopped doing.

Things that he still does

Seguir (conjugated) + Gerund: Sigo teniendo pelo (I still have hair) / Sigo siendo un buen tipo (I'm still a good guy)

Todavia + Present tense: Todavia me gusta tomar algunas cervezas. (I still like to drink a few beers)

Seguir sin + Infinitive (when you didn't do in the past and still don't): Sigo sin poder ver el numero del autobus...(because I still can't see the bus numbers)

The things that he has stopped doing.
Ya no + Present tense: Ya no persigo chicas. (I am no longer chasing girls)

Dejar de + Infintive: Deje de fumar (I stopped smoking)

Volverse (to became, is a change in the personality): Me he vuelto un hombre responsible (I've become a responsible man).

Hopefully this lesson helps you out when you want to talk about things in the past and how they relate to the present.

Anna Rivera is a native Spanish speaker from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is also a Spanish instructor and the author of 2 learning Spanish books. If you would like to get FREE instant download access to the MP3 audio and PDF transcripts to her Spanish lessons absolutely free AND read her reviews of the most popular learning-Spanish products, then visit her web site now in order to: learn Spanish online That's http://LearningSpanishProductsReviews.com/

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