Final answer:
The preterite tense is used to talk about completed actions in the past.
Step-by-step explanation:
The preterite tense is used in Spanish to talk about completed actions in the past. For example, you would use the preterite tense to say 'I ate lunch yesterday.' It is not used to talk about what is happening right now, to tell someone what to do or to talk about the future.
Learn more about preterite tense in Spanish