anhelar Preterite Conjugation
anhelar — to long for
The preterite of anhelar is regular: anhelé, anhelaste, anheló, anhelamos, anhelasteis, anhelaron.
anhelar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite to talk about a specific instance when someone longed for something, and that feeling concluded. It marks a completed action in the past.
Notes on anhelar in the Preterite
Anhelar is completely regular in the preterite tense. The 'nosotros' form 'anhelamos' is identical to the present indicative; context will clarify which tense is meant.
Example Sentences
Anhelé ese momento toda mi vida.
I longed for that moment my whole life.
yo
¿Anhelaste volver a casa?
Did you long to return home?
tú
Ella anheló la libertad durante años.
She longed for freedom for years.
él/ella/usted
Anhelamos una señal.
We longed for a sign.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect 'anhelaba' when the longing was a single, completed event.
Correct: Use 'anhelé' if the longing itself was a specific, finished event.
Why: The preterite signifies a completed action, while the imperfect describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: anhelo
The present tense 'anhelo' / 'anhelan' describes current or habitual longing.
Imperfect
yo: anhelaba
The imperfect 'anhelaba' / 'anhelaban' describes ongoing or habitual longing in the past.
Future
yo: anhelaré
The future tense 'anhelaré' / 'anhelarán' indicates what someone will long for.
Conditional
yo: anhelaría
The conditional 'anhelaría' / 'anhelarían' expresses hypothetical longing ('would long for').
Present Subjunctive
yo: anhele
Use 'anhele' and 'anhelen' after expressions of desire, doubt, or emotion.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: anhelara
The imperfect subjunctive 'anhelara'/'anhelase' is used for past hypotheticals or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: anhela
Use 'anhela' and 'anhelen' for affirmative commands to 'usted'/'ustedes', and 'anhela' for 'tú'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no anheles
Use 'no anheles' for 'tú' and 'no anhelen' for 'ustedes', following the present subjunctive pattern.