Spanish Irregular Preterite Verbs: Introduction Video & Guided Notes

With this video and guided notes, learners will use a graphic organizer to categorize common Irregular Preterite Verbs in Spanish.

They will practice conjugating the verbs in example sentences and understand how verbs such as «saber, querer, and poder» are used in the preterite to refer to specific, completed actions in the past.

This introductory activity prepares learners to use irregular preterite verbs. I use it for my online classes, and it could be a nice resource for a flipped classroom or to provide extra student support as well.

If you use these materials, I would love to hear how it goes in the comments!

Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPof4pViD3Y

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Practice Spanish Stem-Changing Verbs in the Preterite: ¿Qué compraron? (Video activity with PDF Guided Notes)

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.

Video link: https://youtu.be/O0-t9V-xvjA

Link to free PDF Guided Notes to print & fill out as you watch:

Introducción al pretérito: Video Lesson with Notes Handout (free PDF)

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.

Video link: https://youtu.be/wsRbI7NbqDM

Regular Preterite Verbs Short Story & Activity: Mi amigo y yo probamos nuevas comidas en San Juan, Puerto Rico (Video & PDF)

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!

Video URL: https://youtu.be/EQvMuObI60k

Download Free PDF Activity Sheet:

La Monumental Rosca de Reyes de Zacatecas: Story and Activities (preterite versus imperfect) (culture: holiday celebrations)

rosca title page imageMain 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

Download the PDF here! Rosca story activity sheets (2 pages)

Here´s the video…

And here´s a PDF with just the text of the story: La Monumental Rosca de Reyes de Zacatecas Printable Story

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!

Any feedback is welcome in the comments!

Yo soñaba: Un cuento para practicar la narración en el pasado (video & activity sheet)

Yo soñaba thumbnail image.png

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).

Yo soñaba: Hoja de actividades (activity sheet)Yo soñaba handout image

Yo soñaba. Clave de respuestas (answer key)

Thank you to Samuel García for writing and narrating the story. Samuel is an author and teacher from Zacatecas, Mexico.

¡Que disfruten el video!