entonar Preterite Conjugation
entonar — to sing in tune
The preterite of entonar is regular: entoné, entonaste, entonó, entonamos, entonasteis, entonaron.
entonar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite of 'entonar' to talk about a specific instance of singing in tune that started and finished in the past. For example, 'Él entonó la última nota perfectamente' (He hit the last note in tune perfectly). It's for completed actions.
Notes on entonar in the Preterite
Entonar is fully regular in the preterite. Note that the 'nosotros' form 'entonamos' is identical to the present indicative; context will clarify which tense is being used.
Example Sentences
Yo entoné la canción desde el principio.
I sang the song in tune from the beginning.
yo
¿Tú entonaste la melodía correctamente?
Did you sing the melody correctly in tune?
tú
Ella entonó la nota alta sin esfuerzo.
She sang the high note in tune effortlessly.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros entonamos el himno nacional.
We sang the national anthem in tune.
nosotros
Ellos entonaron un villancico en la fiesta.
They sang a Christmas carol in tune at the party.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect instead of the preterite for a single, completed act of singing.
Correct: Use 'Ella entonó la canción' (She sang the song in tune) for a completed action, not 'Ella entonaba'.
Why: The preterite marks a specific, finished event, while the imperfect describes ongoing or habitual actions in the past.
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on 'entoné' (yo).
Correct: The yo form is 'entoné'.
Why: The accent on the final 'é' is necessary to distinguish it from other forms and indicate stress.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: entono
Use entono, entonas, entona, entonamos, entonáis, entonan for actions happening now or habitually.
Imperfect
yo: entonaba
Use entonaba, entonabas, entonaba, entonábamos, entonabais, entonaban for past habits or descriptions.
Future
yo: entonaré
Use entonaré, entonarás, entonará, entonaremos, entonaréis, entonarán for future actions or probability.
Conditional
yo: entonaría
Use entonaría, entonarías, entonaría, entonaríamos, entonaríais, entonarían for hypotheticals ('would').
Present Subjunctive
yo: entone
Use entone, entonemos, entonéis, entonen after wishes, doubts, emotions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: entonara
Use entonara/entonarais/entonáramos/entonaran for past hypotheticals or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: entona
Use entona, entonemos, entonad, entonen for commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no entones
Use no entones, no entonemos, no entonéis, no entonen for negative commands.