aferrar Preterite Conjugation
aferrar — to grasp
Aferré, aferraste, aferró, aferramos, aferrasteis, aferraron: completed actions of grasping or holding on.
aferrar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite for a completed action of 'grasping' or 'holding on' that happened at a specific point in the past.
Notes on aferrar in the Preterite
Aferrar is regular in the preterite. The nosotros form 'aferramos' is identical to the present indicative, so context is key.
Example Sentences
Aferré la barra del autobús justo a tiempo.
I grabbed the bus pole just in time.
yo
Ella se aferró a su bolso cuando sintió peligro.
She clutched her purse when she felt danger.
él/ella/usted
¿Te aferraste a la última esperanza?
Did you cling to the last hope?
tú
Los niños se aferraron a sus padres.
The children clung to their parents.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Aferramos la idea con todas nuestras fuerzas.
We held onto the idea with all our might.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect instead of the preterite for a single, completed action.
Correct: Use 'Aferré la cuerda' (I grasped the rope) for a specific instance, not 'Aferraba la cuerda'.
Why: The preterite marks the beginning or end of an action, or a single completed event.
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on 'aferró' and 'aferré'.
Correct: The él/ella/usted form is 'aferró' and the yo form is 'aferré'.
Why: The accents on the final 'ó' and 'é' are crucial to distinguish these preterite forms.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: aferro
Aferro, aferras, aferra, aferramos, aferráis, aferran: actions of grasping happening now or habitually.
Imperfect
yo: aferraba
Aferraba, aferrabas, aferraba, aferrábamos, aferrabais, aferraban: ongoing or habitual past actions of grasping.
Future
yo: aferraré
Aferraré, aferrarás, aferrará, aferraremos, aferraréis, aferrarán: actions that will happen.
Conditional
yo: aferraría
Aferraría, aferrarías, aferraría, aferraríamos, aferraríais, aferrarían: hypothetical 'would grasp' or polite requests.
Present Subjunctive
yo: aferre
Aferre, aferres, aferre, aferremos, aferréis, aferren: express wishes, doubts, emotions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: aferrara
Aferrara/aferrase forms express hypothetical past wishes or conditions.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: aferra
Aferra, aferrad, aferre, aferren: direct commands to grasp or hold on.
Negative Imperative
yo: no aferres
No aferres, no aferréis, no aferre, no aferren: negative commands not to grasp.