calcular Preterite Conjugation
calcular — to calculate
Completed past actions: calculé, calculaste, calculó, calculamos, calculasteis, calcularon.
calcular Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite to talk about actions that were completed at a specific point in the past. For 'calcular,' this means you calculated something once, and it's finished, like 'I calculated the total yesterday.'
Notes on calcular in the Preterite
Calcular is regular in the preterite. The 'yo' form 'calculé' has a written accent on the 'é'.
Example Sentences
Calculé el coste total anoche.
I calculated the total cost last night.
yo
¿Calculaste cuántos litros necesitábamos?
Did you calculate how many liters we needed?
tú
Él calculó la trayectoria del cohete.
He calculated the rocket's trajectory.
él/ella/usted
Ellos calcularon los riesgos antes de invertir.
They calculated the risks before investing.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect instead of the preterite for a single, completed action.
Correct: For 'I calculated it yesterday,' use 'Calculé,' not 'Calculaba.'
Why: The imperfect describes ongoing or habitual past actions, while the preterite marks a finished event.
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on 'calculé'.
Correct: The 'yo' form is 'calculé' with an accent on the final 'é'.
Why: The accent distinguishes the preterite 'yo' form and indicates the stressed syllable.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: calculo
Now or habitually: calculo, calculas, calcula, calculamos, calculáis, calculan.
Imperfect
yo: calculaba
Past habits/descriptions: calculaba, calculabas, calculaba, calculábamos, calculabais, calculaban.
Future
yo: calcularé
Future actions: calcularé, calcularás, calculará, calcularemos, calcularéis, calcularán.
Conditional
yo: calcularía
Hypotheticals ('would'): calcularía, calcularías, calcularía, calcularíamos, calcularíais, calcularían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: calcule
Wishes & doubts: calcule, calcules, calcule, calculemos, calculéis, calculen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: calculara
Hypothetical past: calculara, calcularas, calculara, calculáramos, calcularais, calcularan.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: calcula
Calcula! Commands for 'you' and 'we' forms: calcula, calculen, calculad, calculemos.
Negative Imperative
yo: no calcules
No calcules! Negative commands: no calcules, no calculen, no calculéis, no calculemos.