desvelar Preterite Conjugation
desvelar — to reveal
The preterite of desvelar is regular: desvelé, desvelaste, desveló, desvelamos, desvelasteis, desvelaron.
desvelar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite of 'desvelar' to talk about revealing something specific that happened and finished in the past. For example, 'Ayer desvelé un secreto' (Yesterday I revealed a secret) or 'El informe desveló la causa del problema' (The report revealed the cause of the problem). It emphasizes the completion of the act of revealing.
Notes on desvelar in the Preterite
Desvelar is fully regular in the preterite tense. All the endings are standard for -ar verbs: -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron.
Example Sentences
Finalmente desvelé el misterio.
I finally revealed the mystery.
yo
¿Desvelaste la sorpresa a alguien?
Did you reveal the surprise to anyone?
tú
La investigación desveló la verdad.
The investigation revealed the truth.
él/ella/usted
Mis padres desvelaron el secreto familiar.
My parents revealed the family secret.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect instead of the preterite for a single, completed act of revealing.
Correct: For a specific instance of revealing, use the preterite: 'Desvelé la respuesta' (I revealed the answer).
Why: The imperfect describes ongoing or habitual actions in the past, while the preterite marks completed actions.
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on 'desveló' (él/ella/Ud.) and 'desvelé' (yo).
Correct: Remember the written accents: 'desveló' and 'desvelé'.
Why: These accents are crucial to indicate the stress falls on the final syllable and to distinguish these forms from other tenses or words.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'desvelar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: desvelo
The present tense 'desvelo' (yo) / 'desvela' (él/ella/Ud.) is used for current actions and general truths.
Imperfect
yo: desvelaba
The imperfect 'desvelaba' is used for ongoing or habitual past actions, like 'I used to reveal'.
Future
yo: desvelaré
The future tense 'desvelaré' (yo) / 'desvelará' (él/ella/Ud.) indicates actions that will happen.
Conditional
yo: desvelaría
The conditional 'desvelaría' (yo/él/ella/Ud.) expresses hypotheticals like 'would reveal'.
Present Subjunctive
yo: desvele
The present subjunctive 'desvele' (yo/él/ella/Ud.) is used for wishes, doubts, and emotions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: desvelara
The imperfect subjunctive, like 'desvelara' or 'desvelase', is used for past hypothetical situations or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: desvela
Use imperative forms like 'desvela' (tú) and 'desvelen' (ustedes) for direct commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no desveles
Negative commands use 'no' plus the present subjunctive, like 'no desveles' (tú) or 'no desvelen' (ustedes).