In this video we’ll learn about stem-changing verbs in the preterite. Then we’ll practice making sentences with verbs in the preterite to talk about what people bought on their shopping trips.
There is a printable PDF document of Guided Notes that you can fill out as you watch the video posted below this video link.
This video lesson for beginning Spanish learners provides an introduction to the preterite.
We’ll learn the basics of when to use the preterite, how to conjugate regular preterite verbs, and words we commonly see with pretererite verbs. We’ll see plenty of examples along the way!
Download the free PDF handout as a guide for taking notes you watch the video.
This activity is designed for beginning learners to get introduced to regular preterite verb conjugations while practicing with vocabulary for food & drinks. It also invites students to learn more about Puerto Rican food.
The first half of the video introduces regular preterite verb conjugations for -ar & -er/ir verbs. It also explains “spelling change” verbs (-CAR, -GAR, -ZAR –> -QUÉ, GUÉ, CÉ) with the examples llegar – yo llegué and pagar – yo pagué.
Note: This activity does not include any irregular or stem-changing verbs.
The read-along story begins at minute 5:48 of the video. It is narrated by a Spanish-speaker from Zacatecas, México.
The free PDF activity sheet features prompts for pre- and post-viewing discussion, charts & brief questions about regular preterite conjugations based on the video, and a cloze activity with the story.
Any comments or suggestions are welcome!
If you use this with your students, I´d love to hear how it goes!
* Una pequeña corrección: «Fui«, como todos los verbos irregulares del pretérito, se escribe sin tilde. «Fui,» like all irregular verbs of the preterit, is written without an accent mark.
Main Street is closed for the whole city to enjoy 2 kilometers of cakes! Yes, this really happened! I came upon this scene January 7th of last year in Zacatecas, Mexico, and have been wanting to share this fun celebration the day after Día de Reyes with my students ever since. The result: this read-along video story (narrated by a native speaker from Zacatecas) and accompanying handout for story-based activities. I hope you will find it useful to incorporate into a unit on holidays, for targeted practice for preterite versus imperfect, and/or as a reading comprehension activity.
The following activity sheet features 5 components:
Vocabulario – quick prep for understanding key words in the story
Comprehensión de lectura
Conversación y escritura– retelling the narration to solidify comprehension and practice narration in the past tense
Gramática – Preterite versus imperfect cloze activity
Conexiones y culturas – internet search for other celebrations and written description of other ways Día de Reyes is celebrated
Also, teachers, if you would like to download this story as a Powerpoint or a PDF for a printable book for your classroom, I have uploaded a bundle on Teachers Pay Teachers! Click here!
This relaxing story is a great way to practice narration in the past (preterite and imperfect) and calm down a rowdy classroom!
You can download PDFs of the free activity sheet and answer key below. The writing prompt on the handout can also be modified as a conversation activity (or as both).