Pretérito Indefinido (Regular -ER / -IR)

What This Level Adds

This level extends the pretérito indefinido to -ER and -IR verbs.

You already know:

• Indefinido = finished past

Now you learn the full system across all verb groups.

Core Meaning

Completed actions in a finished time period.

• Comí en casa. = I ate at home
• Vivimos en Madrid. = We lived in Madrid
• Escribieron el informe. = They wrote the report

Same Usage as -AR

The usage does NOT change:

• ayer
• la semana pasada
• hace dos días

Only the endings change.

Key Difference from -AR

-ER and -IR verbs share the SAME endings.

This is critical.

Use Cases

1. Completed actions

• Perdí el dinero.
• Recibieron el mensaje.

2. Sequences

• Llegué, comí y dormí.

3. Specific events

• Ayer escribí un correo.

Important Insight

Indefinido is now complete for all regular verbs.

This allows you to narrate past events fully.

Quick Contrast

• Hoy he comido -> present relevance
• Ayer comí -> finished event

This distinction remains constant.

Conjugation Formula

infinitive − er/ir + ending = past form

• comer → com- + í = comí
• vivir → viv- + ió = vivió

Full Conjugation: comer (to eat)

Full Conjugation: vivir (to live)

Accent Rules

Accents appear in:

• yo → -í
• él → -ió

Examples:

• comí
• vivió

Comparison: -AR vs -ER/-IR

Important Pattern

The only difference between -ER and -IR verbs is the infinitive.

The endings are identical.

Nosotros Form Warning

Same issue as -AR:

• vivimos = we live / we lived

Context decides meaning:

• Hoy vivimos aquí → present
• Antes vivimos allí → past

Spelling Changes (Preview)

Some verbs change spelling in "yo" form:

• leer → leí (no change but accent important)
• caer → caí

More complex changes will come later.

Word Order

• Comí temprano
• Vivimos en España

Negative

• No comí nada
• No vivimos allí

Questions

• ¿Comiste?
• ¿Vivieron aquí?

Common Mistakes

• Mixing -AR endings → *comé* ❌
• Missing accents → *comi* ❌
• Confusing with present → vivimos

Pattern Recognition

Cognitive Model

All regular verbs follow predictable patterns:

-AR = one system -ER/-IR = second system

Summary

1. Same usage as -AR indefinido 2. -ER and -IR share endings 3. Accents are essential 4. Enables full past narration

This completes the regular indefinido system.