alentar Preterite Conjugation
alentar — to encourage
Alentar is completely regular in the preterite; it does NOT have a stem change here.
alentar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite for a specific moment in the past when someone gave a word of encouragement or a specific event where fans cheered.
Notes on alentar in the Preterite
Unlike the present tense, the preterite is regular. There is no 'ie' change in any form.
Example Sentences
Ayer alenté a mi hermano antes de su examen.
Yesterday I encouraged my brother before his exam.
yo
El entrenador alentó a los jugadores tras la derrota.
The coach encouraged the players after the defeat.
él/ella/usted
Alentamos al equipo durante todo el partido.
We cheered for the team during the whole game.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Saying 'alientié' or 'alientó'.
Correct: alenté / alentó
Why: Learners often try to carry the stem change from the present into the preterite, but it doesn't belong there.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: aliento
Alentar is a stem-changing verb where 'e' becomes 'ie' in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Imperfect
yo: alentaba
The imperfect of alentar is regular: alentaba, alentabas, alentaba, alentábamos, alentabais, alentaban.
Future
yo: alentaré
The future tense is regular: alentaré, alentarás, alentará, alentaremos, alentaréis, alentarán.
Conditional
yo: alentaría
The conditional of alentar is regular: alentaría, alentarías, alentaría, alentaríamos, alentaríais, alentarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: aliente
The present subjunctive of alentar features the e > ie stem change: aliente, alientes, aliente, alentemos, alentéis, alienten.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: alentara
The imperfect subjunctive of alentar is regular: alentara, alentaras, alentara, alentáramos, alentarais, alentaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: alienta
The imperative uses 'alienta' (tú) and 'aliente' (usted/ustedes), maintaining the stem change.
Negative Imperative
yo: no alientes
The negative imperative uses the present subjunctive: no alientes, no aliente, no alentemos, no alentéis, no alienten.