contrastar Preterite Conjugation
contrastar — to contrast
The preterite of 'contrastar' is regular: contrasté, contrastaste, contrastó, contrastamos, contrastasteis, contrastaron.
contrastar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite for completed actions in the past where you want to emphasize the action itself or its completion. Think of it as 'contrasted' – something that happened and finished.
Notes on contrastar in the Preterite
Contrastar is a regular -ar verb in the preterite tense. The nosotros form 'contrastamos' is identical to the present tense; context clarifies the meaning.
Example Sentences
Ayer contrasté mi versión con la de mi hermano.
Yesterday I contrasted my version with my brother's.
yo
¿Contrastaste los precios antes de comprar?
Did you contrast the prices before buying?
tú
Ella contrastó las muestras bajo el microscopio.
She contrasted the samples under the microscope.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros contrastamos los resultados del experimento.
We contrasted the results of the experiment.
nosotros
Ellos contrastaron las opiniones en el debate.
They contrasted the opinions in the debate.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect instead of preterite: 'Ayer contrastaba mi versión...'
Correct: Ayer contrasté mi versión.
Why: The preterite is used for specific, completed actions in the past, like 'yesterday'.
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on yo and él/ella/usted forms.
Correct: contrasté, contrastó
Why: The accents on the final vowels are crucial for pronunciation and to distinguish these forms.
Master Spanish verbs in context
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: contrasto
The present tense of 'contrastar' is regular: contrasto, contrastas, contrasta, contrastamos, contrastáis, contrastan.
Imperfect
yo: contrastaba
The imperfect of 'contrastar' is regular: contrastaba, contrastabas, contrastaba, contrastábamos, contrastabais, contrastaban.
Future
yo: contrastaré
The future tense of 'contrastar' is regular: contrastaré, contrastarás, contrastará, contrastaremos, contrastaréis, contrastarán.
Conditional
yo: contrastaría
The conditional of 'contrastar' is regular: contrastaría, contrastarías, contrastaría, contrastaríamos, contrastaríais, contrastarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: contraste
The present subjunctive of 'contrastar' is: contraste, contrastes, contraste, contrastemos, contrastéis, contrasten.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: contrastara
The imperfect subjunctive of 'contrastar' has -ra and -se forms, like contrastara/contrastase, contrastaras/contrastases, etc.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: contrasta
Imperative commands for 'contrastar' are: contrasta, no contrastes, contraste, no contraste, contrastemos, no contrastemos, contrastad, no contrastéis, contrasten, no contrasten.
Negative Imperative
yo: no contrastes
Negative commands for 'contrastar' use the present subjunctive: no contrastes, no contraste, no contrastemos, no contrastéis, no contrasten.