enterrar Preterite Conjugation
enterrar — to bury
The preterite of enterrar is regular in its endings, but note the spelling change in the 'yo' form: enterré.
enterrar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite when the act of burying something is a completed, one-time event in the past, like hiding a treasure or burying a pet.
Notes on enterrar in the Preterite
While the endings are regular, the 'yo' form requires a spelling change from 'z' to 'c' if the verb ended in -zar, but since enterrar ends in -ar, it is fully regular. Note: the stem-change (e > ie) does NOT happen in the preterite.
Example Sentences
Ayer enterré una cápsula del tiempo en el jardín.
Yesterday I buried a time capsule in the garden.
yo
¿Dónde enterraste las llaves?
Where did you bury the keys?
tú
Enterraron al perro cerca del roble.
They buried the dog near the oak tree.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Yo entierré el hueso.
Correct: Yo enterré el hueso.
Why: Learners often try to apply the present tense stem-change (ie) to the preterite, but enterrar is regular in the past.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: entierro
Enterrar is a stem-changing verb where the 'e' becomes 'ie' in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Imperfect
yo: enterraba
The imperfect of enterrar is regular: enterraba, enterrabas, enterraba, enterrábamos, enterrabais, enterraban.
Future
yo: enterraré
The future tense of enterrar is completely regular: enterraré, enterrarás, enterrará.
Conditional
yo: enterraría
The conditional uses the infinitive as a base: enterraría, enterrarías, enterraría.
Present Subjunctive
yo: entierre
The present subjunctive follows the e > ie stem change: entierre, entierres, entierre, enterremos, enterréis, entierren.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: enterrara
Formed from the third-person plural preterite: enterrara, enterraras, enterrara.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: entierra
Give direct commands to bury something: entierra (tú), entierre (usted), enterremos (nosotros).
Negative Imperative
yo: no entierres
Use 'no' + present subjunctive: no entierres, no entierre, no enterremos.