When States Become Actions
In Spanish, a few common verbs change their English translation depending on whether you use the imperfect or the preterite tense.
Because the imperfect describes ongoing states or conditions in the past, these verbs simply reflect an ongoing feeling, knowledge, or ability. The preterite, however, focuses on a specific beginning or end. When you put a "state of mind" verb into the preterite, it usually means the exact moment that state began (a sudden realization, a meeting, or an attempt).
Saber and Conocer
When saber (to know a fact) and conocer (to know a person or place) are used in the imperfect, they mean "knew."
| The king knew the secret of the crown. | El rey sabía el secreto de la corona. |
| The counselor knew the princess well. | El consejero conocía bien a la princesa. |
But when these verbs are used in the preterite, they describe the moment that knowledge started. Saber becomes "found out" or "learned," and conocer becomes "met."
| The prince found out about the treason yesterday. | El príncipe supo de la traición ayer. |
| The queen met the counselor at the castle. | La reina conoció al consejero en el castillo. |
Poder (Ability vs. Success)
In the imperfect, poder means someone "was able to" or "could" do something, meaning they simply had the ability.
| The king was able to govern the entire kingdom. | El rey podía gobernar todo el reino. |
In the preterite, it means they took action and actually succeeded at that specific time. It translates closer to "managed to."
| Finally, the prince managed to discover the plot. | Finalmente, el príncipe pudo descubrir el complot. |
Querer (Desire vs. Action)
In the imperfect, querer simply means "wanted."
| The princess wanted the throne, so she bought the poison. | La princesa quería el trono, por eso compró el veneno. |
In the preterite, querer implies that someone not only wanted something, but took action to try to get it. It translates to "tried to."
| I tried to hide the poison when I found out about the treason. | Quise esconder el veneno cuando supe de la traición. |
If you make querer negative in the preterite (no quiso), it means the person strongly rejected the action, translating to "refused to."
| The king refused to give the crown to the prince. | El rey no quiso dar la corona al príncipe. |