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Level 2: the past tense and other topics

Dan Berges

Learn to talk about what you did using the preterite, and to describe people's looks, personality and how they feel.

You'll learn the preterite of regular verbs and of key irregulars like ser, ir, tener and hacer, plus the present progressive, comparatives and superlatives, demonstratives, poder and querer followed by another verb, conocer vs. saber, the weather, and numbers up to a million.

  • 10 classes (90 min. each)
  • Via Zoom

Course Content

Class 1: Ser & estar beyond permanent vs. temporary

When you first start learning Spanish, you may hear that ser is used for permanent attributes and estar for temporary ones. However, that's not entirely accurate. In this class, you'll learn a lot of vocabulary and how to use ser and estar correctly.

Class 2: Comparatives, superlatives, and preterite

In this class, you'll learn how to use comparatives and superlatives, as well as the preterite tense (pretérito perfecto), with a focus on the verbs ir (to go) and hacer (to do/make). You'll also learn the months of the year in Spanish.

Class 3: The Spanish past tense: ser, estar, tener, and regular verbs

In this class, you'll gain a strong understanding of key Spanish verbs in the preterite tense (pretérito perfecto), including ser (to be), estar (to be), and tener (to have). You'll also learn how to conjugate regular Spanish verbs in the preterite, with a focus on the most commonly used verbs.

Class 4: Spanish past tense practice, time expressions, and demonstratives

In this class, you'll practice using the past tense in Spanish, reinforcing your understanding of key time expressions like antes (before), después (after), and durante (during). You’ll also learn how to use Spanish demonstrative adjectives and pronouns.

Class 5: Spanish past tense practice and two-verb constructions

In this class, you'll practice the preterite tense and learn how to use two-verb constructions.

Class 6: Spanish past tense practice and numbers 101 to 1 million

In this class, you'll practice the preterite tense and learn how to count to a million.

Class 7: Spanish past tense practice, impersonal constructions, and present progressive

In this class, you'll practice the Spanish past tense and learn how to use hacer in impersonal constructions. You’ll also explore the four seasons (las cuatro estaciones) and the Spanish present progressive tense. Additionally, you'll master the difference between ir (to go) and irse (to leave).

Class 8: Spanish past tense practice, conocer & saber, and common adverbs

In this class, you'll practice the Spanish past tense and learn how to use conocer and saber (both meaning 'to know,' but used in different contexts). You'll also learn how to express something, nothing, somebody, and nobody in Spanish, as well as how to use the adverbs también and tampoco.

Class 9: Spanish past tense review

In this class, we'll review the past tense, covering basic irregular verbs, regular verbs ending in -ar, -er, and -ir, along with descriptive vocabulary, two-verb constructions, impersonal constructions, and the present progressive tense. You'll also write a short essay using the past tense, entirely in Spanish!

Class 10: Spanish past tense review

In this class, we'll review and practice the Spanish past tense and read and discuss a medium-length text.

A Berges student

Reviews from our students

Charles R. Enquist
November 6, 2026
I like learning Spanish using Berges Institute. The teachers are friendly and knowledgeable and professional.
Sarah S.
October 29, 2026
I absolutely love the Berges Institute program! Every instructor I've had has challenged me in the best possible way. I thrive with intensive learning, so I chose the unlimited classes plan, and it's been a great fit. The homework is challenging, and you're expected to speak a lot during class, which pushes me outside my comfort zone (exactly what I need!). I highly recommend Berges to anyone serious about learning Spanish. Just remember, you get out of it what you put into it. Learning a language requires studying and practicing outside of class. Berges provides an excellent foundation, but it's up to you to build on it!
Aimee Roberge
October 29, 2026
The assessment I took actually placed me at a higher level, but I think am glad I didn't start off at any higher of a level. There was only 1 part of a lesson (so far) that I felt I already knew which was easier (using 2 verbs in a sentence). The rest was challenging enough to help me grow and learn but not too challenging that I felt lost or couldn't keep up. The class I was in was a very small size so we got a lot of speaking practice. The instructor was great and very helpful explaining concepts and adding his own elements to help reinforce the content. The hardest part of this level so far was the numbers, but with practice we got through it together.
Heather Williams
October 22, 2026
This class was so helpful, really increased my ability to say more complicated things in Spanish. My teacher Silas was fantastic!
Callie Kuczek
October 17, 2026
I studied Spanish, years ago, and decided to take classes as a refresher course. Level 2 has been great. I am relearning and learning new information at the same time. I like the material and participating in class.
Heather S.
October 16, 2026
The curriculum is effective and does a good job of introducing new concepts while reinforcing previous lessons each week.
Keely S.
October 14, 2026
This was one of the best Spanish classes I have taken. The textbook and the lessons were really on point, and easy to follow. Silas was great, as were the substitutes we had from time to time. What I like most about Berges is that you know exactly where you are going next on the learning journey.
Lynn Dougherty
October 13, 2026
The teaching is excellent, and the class content is so well designed that we seem to learn just the right amount and in the right order, even as the grammar is getting more complicated. By the next level, I will be able to write my review completely in Spanish!
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