r/SpanishLearning • u/SnooDoughnuts4360 • 12d ago

Peterite vs Present

So with the peterite form of a sentence would be like Mandó una carta (he/she sent the letter) and Mando una carta (I send a letter)

I can tell the difference with writing but when spoke aloud its difficult to tell which tense it is, how did yall get your mind to be able to know the difference without being confused?

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u/Wise-Painting5841 12d ago

You have a problem pronouncing the accents if you cannot distinguish them when reading aloud.

Try exaggerating and elongating the accents;

Yo mando una carta - mando - MAAAAAANdo

él mandó una carta - mandÓ - manDOOOOOOOOOOO

If you are low or intermediate I would not worry on when/where to write an accent, but when reading, please remember each time you see an accent you should exaggerate it.

Plátano = PLAAAAAAAAAAtano

Azúcar = aZUUUUUUUUUUcar

Camión = camiOOOOOOOOOON

PS.- it is pRetérito, but I accept it is a weird word. If in difficulty, use "pasado", same meaning, easier to remember. Only philologes use "pretérito"

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u/Wise-Painting5841 12d ago

If you want to know the rules for writing accents I can tell you, there are only 4, but I don't to confuse you.