apagar Preterite Conjugation
apagar — turn off
The preterite of apagar requires a spelling change in the 'yo' form (apagué) to keep the hard 'g' sound.
apagar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite for specific moments when you switched something off, like a light, a computer, or an engine, at a definitive point in time.
Notes on apagar in the Preterite
This verb is a 'g' to 'gu' changer in the first person singular (yo) to preserve the hard sound of the 'g'. All other forms are regular.
Example Sentences
Apagué la televisión antes de dormir.
I turned off the television before sleeping.
yo
¿Apagaste las luces de la cocina?
Did you turn off the kitchen lights?
tú
El técnico apagó el servidor ayer.
The technician turned off the server yesterday.
él/ella/usted
Apagaron el fuego rápidamente.
They put out the fire quickly.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Writing 'apagé' for the 'yo' form.
Correct: apagué
Why: Without the 'u', the 'g' followed by 'e' sounds like a 'j' (h-sound). Adding the 'u' keeps the hard 'g' sound found in the infinitive.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: apago
The present tense of apagar is regular: apago, apagas, apaga, apagamos, apagáis, apagan.
Imperfect
yo: apagaba
The imperfect of apagar is regular: apagaba, apagabas, apagaba, apagábamos, apagabais, apagaban.
Future
yo: apagaré
The future tense is regular: add endings to the infinitive (apagaré, apagarás, apagará...).
Conditional
yo: apagaría
The conditional is regular: add -ía, -ías, -ía... to the infinitive apagar.
Present Subjunctive
yo: apague
The present subjunctive uses a 'gu' spelling in all forms: apague, apagues, apague...
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: apagara
Formed from the 'ellos' preterite: apagara, apagaras, apagara...
Affirmative Imperative
yo: apaga
Direct commands: apaga (tú), apague (usted), apagad (vosotros), apaguen (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no apagues
Negative commands always use the present subjunctive forms: no apagues, no apague, no apaguéis, no apaguen.