The past simple is a verbal tense linked to an action that has already been performed.
Latin is where we can find the etymological origin of the term past simple :
-Past derives from the Latin verb passare which, in turn, emanates from passus , which means “to put one foot forward.”
-Simple, on the other hand, comes from simple .
Verb tenses are different ways of combining verbal aspect and grammatical time in an expression . According to the verb tense used, a sentence has a certain temporal reference that indicates when the action of the verb took place.
What is the past simple
The past simple is one of these tenses, present in different languages . The mention of the past refers to actions that have already been carried out previously (that is, that have already been specified).
In Spanish, the past simple is also known as the past perfect simple or the past indefinite . Its grammatical time is absolute (it is estimated from the speaker and with respect to the time in which the expression takes place) and its verbal aspect is classified as perfective .
The past simple in our language , therefore, indicates an action that has already been carried out and that has no necessary link with what is being done in the present. The past in question, therefore, is indefinite and unrelated to the present.
Its use in our language
The studies carried out on the use of the simple past in countries where Spanish is spoken reveal several interesting issues, to say the least:
-In Spain , for example, compared to previous times, the use of this verbal form has decreased.
-In Latin American countries, however, the use of this verbal tense has increased. Specifically, where this is most used is in nations like Mexico or Chile , for example.
In English, the simple past is known as simple past.
Examples of past simple
The expression “Juan screamed when he saw his father” includes the verb scream conjugated in the simple past. Juan 's cry developed in a moment already lived, and does not necessarily have a link with the present .
Other examples of sentences with a verb in the simple past: “Last night I ordered shrimp with garlic,” “I have already declared everything I know, officer,” “One day I sang in front of five thousand people.”
Within the scope of literature this verbal form is found very frequently. Because? Because it is what is used by the author in question to carry out what is the presentation of specific and specific facts that allow the story being told to advance.
Verb tense in English
In the English language, the past simple is known as simple past or past simple . It is used to refer to an event that occurred in the past and, generally, is accompanied by a temporal expression that alludes to said past: “Yesterday I bought four books.”
In the case of English we can say that it is necessary to take into account other important aspects regarding the formation and use of the past simple. Thus, specifically, the following is established:
-As a general rule, it is formed by adding what is the ending “-ed” to the verb. Example: want – wanted.
-In this verbal form, there are as many regular as irregular verbs.
-In English the period of time that appears in the sentence is not as important as in Spanish.