Inklingo
A finger pressing a large, round, red button on a simple control panel.

apretar Preterite Conjugation

apretarto press

A2stem-changing (e-ie) -ar★★★★★
Quick answer:

Apretar is completely regular in the preterite: apreté, apretaste, apretó, apretamos, apretasteis, apretaron.

apretar Preterite Forms

yoapreté
apretaste
él/ella/ustedapretó
nosotrosapretamos
vosotrosapretasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesapretaron

When to Use the Preterite

Use the preterite for a specific moment you pressed something or a one-time event where you tightened a grip.

Notes on apretar in the Preterite

Despite being irregular in the present, apretar follows the standard -ar pattern in the preterite with no stem changes.

Example Sentences

  • Apreté el freno justo a tiempo.

    I pressed the brake just in time.

    yo

  • Él apretó mi mano con fuerza.

    He squeezed my hand firmly.

    él/ella/usted

  • Apretamos el paso para llegar temprano.

    We quickened our pace to arrive early.

    nosotros

Common Mistakes

  • Mistake: aprieté

    Correct: apreté

    Why: Learners mistakenly carry the present tense stem change (ie) into the preterite.

Master Spanish verbs in context

Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'apretar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.

Related Tenses