Confusing Past Tenses

"Contrató" is the simple past (preterite) form. It tells you that the action of hiring started and finished entirely at a specific time in the past.

Past Action Completed

When you hire a person, Spanish uses the word 'a' right before the person's name or title: 'Contrató *a* un electricista'.

The Personal 'a'

This form can mean 'he hired,' 'she hired,' or 'you (formal) hired.' The context usually tells you who did the action.

Who is 'Contrató'?

Extremely common when talking about employment and business decisions.

When 'contrató' refers to a service or policy (like insurance or construction), it usually means reaching a formal agreement or taking out a policy, rather than employing a person directly.

Contracting vs. Hiring

Think of 'contrató' in this sense as signing a formal agreement or document for a large service or financial product.

Formal Agreements

Common in legal, financial, and service contexts.

'Contrató' is the simple past (preterite) form of the verb 'contratar,' meaning 'he/she/you hired' or 'he/she/you contracted' a service or policy. Learn usage, examples, and full conjugations.

Contrató Meaning & Conjugation (Past Tense of Contratar) | Inklingo

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contrató

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indicative

present

future

imperfect

conditional

preterite

imperative

negative

affirmative

subjunctive

present

imperfect

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