Spanish expresses the past in two different ways depending on the nature of the action, state, or condition being described. When this action, state, or condition is considered completely finished from the point of view of the person who speaks in the “now,” the preterit is required. Some of the most common time expressions that go with the description of these past actions to indicate when they began and when they ended at a specific point in time are:
Hace + (time):
La película empezó hace diez minutos.
The movie started ten minutes ago.
A specific time: hour, day, month, year:
L
Hace + (time):
La película empezó hace diez minutos.
The movie started ten minutes ago.
A specific time: hour, day, month, year:
L