AP Spanish : Verb Tense in Spanish

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Spanish

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Example Questions

Example Question #41 : Ap Spanish Language

Fill in the blank with the correct answer. 

__________ mi tarea antes del examen mañana. 

Possible Answers:

Hice

Habré hecho

He hecho

Había hecho

Hecho

Correct answer:

Habré hecho

Explanation:

The only possible tense that can be used correctly here is the future perfect, which uses the past participle of "hacer," "hecho" and the future form of the verb "haber," "habré."

Example Question #1 : Imperfect / El Imperfecto

Fill in the blank with the correct response. 

Ellos _________ en la calle cuando vieron a Claudia.

Possible Answers:

habrán caminado

caminaban

caminaron 

han caminado 

habían caminado

Correct answer:

caminaban

Explanation:

In the first part of the sentence, the action that was interrupted before they saw Claudia was an action in progress in the past; therefore the imperfect tense must be used.

Example Question #1 : Verb Tense In Spanish

Which is the correct verb form?

Estaba andando en el parque cuando, de repente, un ciervo me __________.

Possible Answers:

sorprendía

sorprenderá

sorprendido

sorprendió

Correct answer:

sorprendió

Explanation:

This sentence expresses the completed action of the deer surprising me in the park, thus the preterite tense is the only correct response.

Example Question #42 : Ap Spanish Language

Which verb form is correct in context?

Estaba andando en la calle cuando, de repente, un ladrón __________ robarme. 

Possible Answers:

intentaba

intentó

intentaban

intenté 

Correct answer:

intentó

Explanation:

An interrupted action sequence requires the imperfect tense for the interrupted action and the preterite tense for the interrupting action, in this case, "intentó." The other verbs either do not agree in tense or in number with "un ladrón."

English translation: "I was walking in the street when, all of a sudden, a thief tried to rob me."

Example Question #43 : Ap Spanish Language

Which verb form properly completes the sentence?

__________ cerca de la orilla del rio cuando, de repente, vi un pez.

Possible Answers:

Andaré

Anduve

Andé

Andaba

Correct answer:

Andaba

Explanation:

The first verb conveys an action that is interrupted, so it needs to be in the imperfect tense. Only "Andaba" is the first person imperfect form of "andar" (to walk). 

English translation: "I was walking near the bank of the river when, all of a sudden, I saw a fish."

Example Question #2 : Verb Tense In Spanish

Fill in the blank with the correct answer. 

Cuando llegaron ayer, tú ya __________.

Possible Answers:

has comido

habías comido

habrías comido

comiste

había comido

Correct answer:

habías comido

Explanation:

The first part of the sentence, "when they arrived yesterday," is in the preterite; the next clause that has the word "ya," "already," in it, implies the next action had occurred before the first one; therefore we need the past perfect tense, which in the 2nd person singular would be, habías comido. 

Example Question #13 : Spanish Verbs

Which verb best completes this sentence?

Si hubiera hecho el crimen, __________ culpable, pero no lo hice.

Possible Answers:

estaría

sería

none of the other answers

estuviera

Correct answer:

sería

Explanation:

This is a classic conditional haber/ser structure: the right answer is sería; estaría is in the right tense but does not agree with the adjective; estuviera both does not agree with the adjective and is in the wrong tense.

Example Question #1 : Conditional Perfect / El Condicional Perfecto

“Si yo tuviera mucho dinero, __________.”

Possible Answers:

None of the above would be accurate

yo compré una casa

yo habría comprado una casa

yo compro una casa

Correct answer:

yo habría comprado una casa

Explanation:

The statement “If I had a lot of money” requires the use of the conditional mood to complete the sentence. The only option that uses the conditional is “habría comprado” (I would have bought). 

 

Example Question #1 : Conditional Tenses

Is something gramatically wrong with this sentence?

Siento como si no hubiera dormido por tres días, estoy muy cansado.

Possible Answers:

This sentence is grammatically correct.

Siento is in the wrong tense.

Hubiera dormido is in the wrong tense.

Estoy doesn't agree with the verb cansado.

Correct answer:

This sentence is grammatically correct.

Explanation:

The sentence above is grammatically correct, and uses a properly constructed conditional perfect subjunctive clause to describe the feeling introduced by the verb, siento.

Example Question #51 : Ap Spanish Language

Which of the following conjugated verbs should be used in the above sentence?

 “¿ __________ hambre, Señor Ruiz? ¡Debe comer!

Possible Answers:

Es

Tiene

Está

Va

Correct answer:

Tiene

Explanation:

In Spanish, to say that a person is hungry one must use the verb "tener." Also, the question is directed to someone in a formal situation; therefore, the conjugation of "tener" is in agreement with the subject "Usted." 

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