aparentar Preterite Conjugation
aparentar — to look
The preterite of aparentar is regular: aparenté, aparentaste, aparentó, aparentamos, aparentasteis, aparentaron.
aparentar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite of 'aparentar' to describe a specific, completed instance of seeming or pretending in the past. For example, 'Aparentó estar enfermo para no ir' (He pretended to be sick to avoid going). It focuses on the action as a whole, with a clear beginning and end.
Notes on aparentar in the Preterite
Aparentar is fully regular in the preterite tense. All forms follow the standard -ar verb pattern.
Example Sentences
Aparenté estar dormido cuando entró.
I pretended to be asleep when he entered.
yo
¿Aparentaste no verlo?
Did you pretend not to see him?
tú
Ella aparentó sorpresa, pero ya lo sabía.
She feigned surprise, but she already knew.
él/ella/usted
Los niños aparentaron estar tristes por la mudanza.
The children acted sad about the move.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using 'aparenté' for 'we' (nosotros).
Correct: The 'nosotros' preterite form is 'aparentamos'.
Why: This is a common confusion because 'aparentamos' is identical to the 'nosotros' present indicative form. Context is key.
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on 'aparentó' (él/ella/usted).
Correct: It must be 'aparentó' with an accent on the 'ó'.
Why: The accent marks the stress on the final syllable, distinguishing it from other forms and indicating a completed action.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: aparento
Use 'aparento', 'aparentas', 'aparenta', 'aparentamos', 'aparentáis', 'aparentan' for actions happening now, habitual actions, or general truths.
Imperfect
yo: aparentaba
Use 'aparentaba', 'aparentabas', 'aparentaba', 'aparentábamos', 'aparentabais', 'aparentaban' for ongoing or habitual past actions.
Future
yo: aparentaré
The future of aparentar is regular: aparentaré, aparentarás, aparentará, aparentaremos, aparentaréis, aparentarán.
Conditional
yo: aparentaría
Use 'aparentaría', 'aparentarías', 'aparentaría', 'aparentaríamos', 'aparentaríais', 'aparentarían' for hypothetical 'would' statements or polite requests.
Present Subjunctive
yo: aparente
Use 'aparente' (yo/él/ella/usted), 'aparentes' (tú), 'aparentemos' (nosotros), 'aparentéis' (vosotros), 'aparenten' (ellos/ellas/ustedes) after expressions of doubt, emotion, or desire.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: aparentara
Use 'aparentara' or 'aparentase' for hypothetical or past subjunctive situations.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: aparenta
Use 'aparenta' for tú commands, 'aparente' for usted/ustedes, 'aparentad' for vosotros, and 'aparentemos' for nosotros.
Negative Imperative
yo: no aparentes
Use 'no aparentes' for tú, 'no aparente' for usted/ustedes, 'no aparentéis' for vosotros, and 'no aparentemos' for nosotros.