5.6: El pretérito de los verbos regulares
- Page ID
- 75177
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)
\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)
\( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Preterite tense of regular verbs
To talk about events in the past, Spanish uses two simple tenses: the preterite and the imperfect. We will start with the preterite tense.
Uses
- To talk about actions or states completed in the past
- To express the beginning or the end of a past action
- To narrate a series of past completed actions
- To express an action that had a specific duration
Conjugation of regular verbs
In the following conjugations, the endings that must be modified are in bold.
| Subject Pronoun: | -AR ending verb: Hablar | -ER, -IR ending verbs: Comer, Escribir |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | hablé | comí, escribí |
| Tú | hablaste | comiste, escribiste |
| Ud., él, ella | habló | comió, escribió |
| Nosotros, nosotras | hablamos | comimos, escribimos |
| Vosotros, vosotras | hablasteis | comisteis, escribisteis |
| Uds., ellos, ellas | hablaron | comieron, escribieron |
- A written accent is needed on the last syllable of the conjugation of "yo" and "Ud., él, ella" form.
- The preterite endings for regular "-er" and "-ir" verbs are identical.
- The "nosotros" forms of regular "-ar" and "-ir" verbs in the preterite are identical to the present tense form. Context will help you determine which tense is being used.
Ejemplos:
En invierno "compramos" suéteres. (In the winter we buy sweaters.)
Anoche "compramos" unas sandalias. (Last night we bought some sandals.)
"Escribimos" poemas en clase. (We write poems in clase.)
Ya "escribimos" dos veces al presidente. (We already wrote to the president twice.)
- "-ar" and "-er" ending verbs that have a stem change in the present tense do not have a stem change in the preterite.
| Present | Preterite | Present | Preterite |
|---|---|---|---|
|
e → ie cerrar cierro cerramos cierras cerráis cierra cierran |
no stem change cerrar cerré cerramos cerraste cerrasteis cerró cerraron |
o → ue volver vuelvo volvemos vuelves volvéis vuelve vuelven |
no stem change volver volví volvimos volviste volvisteis volvió volvieron |
Verbs with spelling changes
- Verbs that end in -CAR, -GAR, and -ZAR have a spelling change only in the "yo" form. Note: The spelling change is underline and the conjugated endings are in bold.
| Subject Pronoun | -CAR: Sacar | -GAR: Pagar | -ZAR: Abrazar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | saqué | pagué | abracé |
| Tú | sacaste | pagaste | abrazaste |
| Ud., él, ella | sacó | pagó | abrazó |
| Nosotros, nosotras | sacamos | pagamos | abrazamos |
| Vosotros, vosotras | sacasteis | pagasteis | abrazasteis |
| Uds., ellos, ellas | sacaron | pagaron | abrazaron |
Words commonly used with the preterite
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| anoche | last night | desde... hasta... | from... until... |
| anteayer | the day before yesterday | pasado, pasada | last; past (adjective) |
| el año pasado | last year | la semana pasada | last week |
| ayer | yesterday | una vez; dos veces | once; twice (two times) |
| de repente | suddenly | ya | already |
Ayer compré una camisa. Miré la televisión anoche.
Yesterday, I bought a shirt. I watched TV last night.
Useful phrases
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Qué hiciste? | What did you (singular, familiar) do? |
| ¿Qué hizo usted? | What did you (singular, formal) do? |
| ¿Qué hicieron ustedes? | What did you all (formal) do? |
| ¿Qué hizo él? ¿Qué hizo ella? | What did he do? What did she do? |
| ¿Que hicieron ellos? ¿Qué hicieron ellas? | What did they do? |