After all these years learning Spanish there is still more to learn!

In general, I know the difference between imperfecto de indicativo and pretérito.

• imperfecto de indicativo: describes a habitual reoccurring past action
• pretérito: describes a single completed past action

Nevertheless, I didn’t realize a mistake I was making.

Vivía en Monterrey por seis meses (INCORRECT!)

Viví en Monterrey por seis meses (CORRECT) When mentioning an exact time duration it’s not a habitual action but rather an open and closed action.

This was an obvious mistake for native speakers but not for me. Taking the time to write this post has helped me cement the concept in my mind. I will be listening for this important difference in podcasts. I’ll never speak perfectly fluently but I enjoy learning Spanish. It’s a challenge that will never end.