• repeated, habitual, or usual actions in the past
• describe actions that were ongoing in the past
• describe what things were like in the past (like “used to”)

Along these same lines, the imperfect is used to describe conditions of time, people and places in the past. The imperfect gives all the background information for when you are explaining a story. The order of events with the imperfect is often unimportant.

Ejemplos: 

• Cuando vivía en Barranquilla…
• Había un festejo.
• Él era guapo con pelo largo.

The preterit focuses on what actions happened first and last in a story.

Ejemplos:

• Cuando llegué a la casa, inmediatamente me fijé en su amigo.
• De repente, la música sonó y todos buscaron parejas para bailar.

When telling a story, the preterit is used to facilitate the events. This shows that one action was completed before the next one began. You can use time expressions to indicate the order of events such as: primero (first), antes (before), después (after), luego (then), entonces (then).

Ejemplos:

• Primero llegué a la casa.
• Después conocí a Ladislao.
• Luego bailamos.