apoderar Preterite Conjugation
apoderar — to empower
The preterite of apoderar (apoderé, apoderaste, apoderó...) describes completed past actions of taking control or empowering.
apoderar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite of 'apoderar' to talk about a specific, completed instance of taking control or empowering someone in the past. It emphasizes the action as a whole, finished event. For example, 'El nuevo jefe se apoderó de la situación' (The new boss took control of the situation) or 'La crisis apoderó al país por un tiempo' (The crisis took over the country for a while).
Notes on apoderar in the Preterite
Apoderar is regular in the preterite tense. All forms follow the standard -ar verb conjugation pattern for this tense.
Example Sentences
El ejército se apoderó de la ciudad.
The army took control of the city.
él/ella/usted
Yo me apoderé de mis finanzas personales.
I took control of my personal finances.
yo
¿Te apoderaste de tus miedos?
Did you overcome your fears?
tú
Ellos se apoderaron de la protesta pacíficamente.
They took over the protest peacefully.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect 'apoderaba' instead of the preterite 'apoderó' for a single, completed action.
Correct: Use 'apoderó' for a specific event like 'El general apoderó el fuerte' (The general took over the fort).
Why: The preterite marks a finished action, while the imperfect describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
Mistake: Forgetting the reflexive pronoun 'se' when 'apoderar' means 'to take control' or 'to seize'.
Correct: Use 'se apoderó', 'te apoderaste', etc., when the subject takes control of something.
Why: The verb 'apoderarse de' is used reflexively to mean 'to take control of' or 'to seize'.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'apoderar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: apodero
The present tense of apoderar (apadero, apoderas, apodera...) describes current or habitual actions of empowering or taking control.
Imperfect
yo: apoderaba
The imperfect of apoderar (apoderaba, apoderabas, apoderaba...) describes past habits, ongoing actions, or background settings of empowering or taking control.
Future
yo: apoderaré
The future tense of apoderar (apoderaré, apoderarás, apoderará...) indicates future actions of empowering or taking control.
Conditional
yo: apoderaría
The conditional of apoderar (apoderaría, apoderarías, apoderaría...) expresses hypothetical empowerment or polite suggestions.
Present Subjunctive
yo: apodere
The present subjunctive of apoderar (apodere, apoderes, etc.) is used after expressions of desire, doubt, emotion, and uncertainty.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: apoderara
The imperfect subjunctive of apoderar (apoderara/apoderase) expresses past wishes, doubts, or hypothetical situations.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: apodera
Use the imperative of apoderar for direct commands like 'empower!' or 'let's empower!'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no apoderes
Use 'no' + present subjunctive for negative commands with apoderar, like 'don't empower!'.