conversar Preterite Conjugation
conversar — to converse
The preterite of conversar (conversé, conversaste, etc.) marks completed past conversations.
conversar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite tense to describe a conversation or action of conversing that started and finished at a specific point in the past. For example, 'We conversed for an hour yesterday,' or 'He conversed with the teacher after class.' It's about a finished event.
Notes on conversar in the Preterite
Conversar is regular in the preterite tense. The endings are standard for -ar verbs (-é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron).
Example Sentences
Ayer conversé con mi jefe sobre el aumento.
Yesterday I conversed with my boss about the raise.
yo
¿Conversaste con ella sobre la fiesta?
Did you converse with her about the party?
tú
El estudiante conversó con el profesor.
The student conversed with the professor.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros conversamos sobre el plan.
We conversed about the plan.
nosotros
Ellos conversaron durante mucho tiempo.
They conversed for a long time.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect instead of the preterite for a completed action.
Correct: Say 'Conversé con él ayer' (completed) not 'Conversaba con él ayer' (ongoing).
Why: The preterite focuses on the completion of the action, while the imperfect focuses on its duration or repetition.
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on the 'é' in the yo form.
Correct: It's 'conversé' with an accent, not 'converse'.
Why: The accent distinguishes the preterite 'yo' form from the present subjunctive and marks the stress.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'conversar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: converso
The present tense of conversar (converso, conversas, etc.) is for actions happening now or habitually.
Imperfect
yo: conversaba
The imperfect of conversar (conversaba, conversabas, etc.) describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
Future
yo: conversaré
The future tense of conversar (conversaré, conversarás, etc.) indicates actions that will happen.
Conditional
yo: conversaría
The conditional of conversar (conversaría, conversarías, etc.) is for hypotheticals ('would') and polite requests.
Present Subjunctive
yo: converse
The present subjunctive of conversar (converse, converses, etc.) follows expressions of doubt, desire, or emotion.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: conversara
The imperfect subjunctive of conversar (conversara/conversase) is for past hypotheticals or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: conversa
Use the imperative of conversar for direct commands like '¡conversa!' or '¡conviérsemos!'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no converses
Use 'no converses' or 'no conversen' for negative commands, always using the present subjunctive.