Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Eu preparava o jantar na cozinha quando o telemóvel tocou. - I was preparing dinner in the kitchen when the mobile phone rang.

Eu preparava o jantar na cozinha quando o telemóvel tocou.

I was preparing dinner in the kitchen when the mobile phone rang.

Breakdown of Eu preparava o jantar na cozinha quando o telemóvel tocou.

Questions & Answers about Eu preparava o jantar na cozinha quando o telemóvel tocou.

Why do we use preparava here instead of preparei?

Preparava is the Pretérito Imperfeito (imperfect past). We use it here because making dinner was an ongoing background action, meaning 'was preparing'. If we used the Pretérito Perfeito preparei, it would mean a completed, single event ('I prepared').

Why is tocou in the Pretérito Perfeito (simple past) while the other verb is in the Imperfect?

This sentence uses a classic combination! The imperfect preparava sets the scene with an ongoing action, and the simple past tocou is the sudden, completed action that interrupts it. The word quando (when) is a great clue that a sudden interruption is coming.

Could I say estava a preparar instead of preparava?

Yes, absolutely! In Portugal, it is very common to use estar a + infinitive in the past tense (estava a preparar) to show an action was in progress. In this sentence, preparava and estava a preparar mean exactly the same thing.

I learned that tocar means 'to touch' or 'to play an instrument'. Why does it mean 'rang' here?

Tocar is a very versatile verb! Besides touching or playing an instrument, it is the standard verb used for a phone, doorbell, or alarm ringing. Because the phone ringing was a sudden, completed action, it takes the simple past form tocou.