Question 1

Why use the imperfect tense (acababa) for "had just" instead of the preterite?

Accepted Answer

The phrase acabar de + infinitive is used to say someone has "just" done something. When you are setting the background scene for another past action and want to say you had just done something, you use the imperfect tense (acababa de). If you used the present tense (acabo de), it would mean "I have just lost".

Question 2

Why use Me quedé enojado instead of Me puse enojado for "I got angry"?

Accepted Answer

While ponerse is the go-to verb for sudden emotional changes, quedarse (literally "to stay" or "to remain") is often used to emphasize the result of an event. By saying Me quedé enojado, the speaker is emphasizing that losing the signal left them in an angry state.

Question 3

Since acababa can mean "I had just" or "he/she had just", how do we know who is doing the action?

Accepted Answer

You have to rely on context! The imperfect tense forms for "I" and "he/she/it" are exactly the same (acababa). However, because the sentence starts with Me quedé (I ended up / I got), it establishes early on that the speaker is talking about their own experience.

Question 4

Is la señal the normal way to talk about cell phone reception or Wi-Fi?

Accepted Answer

Yes! In Latin America, la señal is the standard, everyday word used to talk about your cell phone reception, internet connection, or Wi-Fi.

Me quedé enojado porque acababa de perder la señal.

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