Spanish · B1 · Everyday language
Yesterday's Little Surprises in Spanish
This guide helps parents discuss past events with their children, focusing on sharing thoughts, knowledge, and items brought during the day. We focus on the Spanish Preterite (Indefinido) for actions and the Imperfect for states of mind.
What you'll learn
- Use 'pensar' to describe specific past thoughts.
- Master the irregular preterite forms of 'traer' (to bring).
- Understand when to use 'saber' in the past to describe knowledge.
Spanish phrases for yesterday's little surprises
Pensé que tu diente flojo se caería hoy.
I thought your loose tooth would fall out today.
'Pensé' is the Preterite form of 'pensar', indicating a specific moment of thinking.
Pensaste que el entrenamiento de fútbol empezaba a las cuatro.
You thought football practice started at four.
'Pensaste' is the informal 'you' form.
Ella pensó que tu lonchera nueva era encantadora.
She thought your new lunchbox was lovely.
'Lonchera' is commonly used in Latin America; 'fiambrera' is more common in Spain.
Pensamos que la tarea tardaría más.
We thought the homework would take longer.
'Tardaría' is the conditional, used here for a future-in-the-past idea.
Yo sabía dónde estaba tu libro de lectura, y tú sabías qué página leer.
I knew where your reading book was, and you knew which page to read.
We use the Imperfect 'sabía' for ongoing knowledge or states in the past.
Él sabía el camino al polideportivo, y nosotros sabíamos el nombre del entrenador.
He knew the way to the sports hall, and we knew the coach's name.
'Polideportivo' is a common term for a sports complex or hall.
Yo traje tu lonchera, y tú trajiste tu botella de agua.
I brought your lunchbox, and you brought your water bottle.
'Traje' and 'trajiste' are irregular preterite forms of 'traer'.
Ella trajo el balón de fútbol, y nosotros trajimos meriendas para el equipo.
She brought the football, and we brought snacks for the team.
'Trajo' and 'trajimos' continue the irregular pattern of 'traer'.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
diente flojo
loose tooth
Literally 'loose tooth', used when a child is about to lose a baby tooth.
lonchera
lunchbox
A very useful word for school-aged children.
entrenamiento
practice / training
Used for sports practices like soccer or basketball.
meriendas
snacks
Often refers to afternoon snacks or refreshments.
Irregular Preterite: Traer (To Bring)
The verb 'traer' is highly irregular in the Preterite. The stem changes to 'traj-' and it uses special endings.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Yo (I) | traje | Traje las llaves. |
| Tú (You) | trajiste | ¿Trajiste tu mochila? |
| Él/Ella (He/She) | trajo | Él trajo el pastel. |
| Nosotros (We) | trajimos | Trajimos frutas. |
Saber in the Past
In Spanish, we use the Imperfect ('sabía') to say someone 'knew' a fact (a state). The Preterite ('supe') usually means 'found out' (an action).
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| State (Knew) | sabía | Yo sabía la respuesta. |
| Action (Found out) | supe | Ayer supe la noticia. |
More examples
¿Trajiste el dibujo que hiciste en la escuela?
Did you bring the drawing you made at school?
Using the 'tú' form of traer.
Mamá supe que era tu cumpleaños porque vi el calendario.
Mom, I found out it was your birthday because I saw the calendar.
Here 'supe' is used because it was a discovery.
Pensamos que no vendrías hoy.
We thought you wouldn't come today.
A common way to express a past expectation.