distraer Preterite Conjugation
distraer — to distract
The preterite of distraer is highly irregular, using the stem 'distraj-' (distraje, distrajiste, distrajo).
distraer Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use this for a specific moment in the past when something suddenly caught your attention or interrupted your focus.
Notes on distraer in the Preterite
This is a 'j-stem' preterite. The 'i' from the standard -er ending disappears in the 'ellos' form (distrajeron, not distrajeron).
Example Sentences
Me distraje un segundo y perdí las llaves.
I got distracted for a second and lost my keys.
yo
El mago distrajo al público con un chiste.
The magician distracted the audience with a joke.
él/ella/usted
Las luces brillantes nos distrajeron.
The bright lights distracted us.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Writing 'distraió' for the third person.
Correct: distrajo
Why: J-stem verbs like distraer don't take an accent on the final 'o' in the preterite.
Mistake: Using 'distraieron'.
Correct: distrajeron
Why: After a 'j', the 'i' in the 'ieron' ending is dropped.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: distraigo
The present of distraer is irregular in the 'yo' form (distraigo), but follows -er patterns for the rest.
Imperfect
yo: distraía
The imperfect of distraer is regular: distraía, distraías, distraía, distraíamos, distraíais, distraían.
Future
yo: distraeré
The future of distraer is regular: distraeré, distraerás, distraerá, distraeremos, distraeréis, distraerán.
Conditional
yo: distraería
The conditional of distraer is regular: distraería, distraerías, distraería, distraeríamos, distraeríais, distraerían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: distraiga
The present subjunctive uses the 'distraig-' stem: distraiga, distraigas, distraiga, distraigamos, distraigáis, distraigan.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: distrajera
The imperfect subjunctive uses the 'distraj-' stem: distrajera, distrajeras, distrajera, distrajéramos, distrajerais, distrajeran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: distrae
The imperative uses 'distrae' (tú) and 'distraigan' (ustedes) to command someone's attention (or lack thereof).
Negative Imperative
yo: no distraigas
The negative imperative uses 'no' plus the present subjunctive: no distraigas, no distraiga, no distraigamos, no distraigáis, no distraigan.