Question 1

Why doesn't the past tense verb vi have an accent mark?

Accepted Answer

In the past tense (preterite), the first-person form usually has an accent mark on the final letter, like comí or hablé. However, vi is a one-syllable word. In Spanish, one-syllable words never get accent marks unless they are needed to tell two identical words apart, such as el and él.

Question 2

Why do we use the preterite tense (vi) here instead of the imperfect (veía)?

Accepted Answer

We use the preterite (vi) because seeing the fight was a single, completed event that happened at a specific, stated time in the past (anoche). If you used the imperfect (veía), it would sound like you were setting the scene, meaning you were in the middle of watching a fight when something else interrupted.

Question 3

Is it also correct to say ayer por la noche instead of anoche?

Accepted Answer

Yes, both mean "last night" and are perfectly correct. However, anoche is the most natural and common way to express this in Spain. It is a highly efficient, dedicated word for "yesterday night."

Question 4

Why is it en la calle and not a la calle?

Accepted Answer

You need to use en here because it describes the stationary location where the event took place (in or on the street). The preposition a is used to show movement toward a destination, so you would only use a la calle if you were talking about going out into the street, like salí a la calle.

Anoche vi una pelea en la calle.

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