[Footnote 147: Or Narrating Past (this is why it is often called the
Historical Past).]
[Footnote 148: "Napoleon I died in 1821" is an event. "I fell" is grammatically also an event.]
Consequently, it will be understood that whilst the Past Def. refers to "one point of time" or "several =separate= points of time," the Imperfect embraces a whole indefinite period.
The following examples will show clearly the different functions of these two tenses—
Le escribí una vez (or dos o tres veces) mientras él viajaba en Argentina: I wrote to him once (or two or three times) whilst he travelled[149] in Argentina.
[Footnote 149: Travelled—was travelling, but notice that in Spanish we would also have the progressive form—"estaba viajando.">[
Encontré á Luis, quien llevaba levita negra: I met Louis, who wore[150] a black frock-coat.
[Footnote 150: Wore—was wearing. Here in Spanish the progressive form "estaba llevando" would not be admissible because there is no real progressive action.]
Hacía grandes negocios cuando residía en Chile: I had a large business when I resided in Chili.
Los Cartagineses eran un pueblo comercial y emprendedor: The
Carthagenians were a commercial and enterprising people.