To depict a memory using both the preterite and imperfect tenses in Spanish, the preterite is used for specific actions, while the imperfect is for ongoing or habitual actions. By combining both, one conveys a complete narrative about the past event.
Describing a memory using both the preterite and imperfect tenses in Spanish can help illustrate the difference between actions completed at a specific time (preterite) and ongoing or habitual past actions (imperfect). Here is an example:
Preterite: Ayer, me caí de un árbol. (Yesterday, I fell out of a tree.)
Imperfect: Cuando era niño, siempre trepaba árboles. (When I was a child, I would always climb trees.)
Combining both tenses, we can paint a fuller picture of the past event: Cuando era niño, siempre trepaba árboles pero ayer, me caí de uno y me rompí el brazo. (When I was a child, I always used to climb trees, but yesterday, I fell out of one and broke my arm.)