establecer Preterite Conjugation
establecer — to establish
The preterite of establecer is completely regular: establecí, estableciste, estableció, etc.
establecer Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite for a completed action of setting something up, like a company being founded or a specific rule being created on a specific date.
Notes on establecer in the Preterite
Despite being irregular in the present, establecer is regular in the preterite. It follows the standard -er endings.
Example Sentences
La empresa se estableció en Madrid en 1990.
The company established itself in Madrid in 1990.
él/ella/usted
Ayer establecimos el plan de trabajo.
Yesterday we established the work plan.
nosotros
Establecí contacto con ellos la semana pasada.
I established contact with them last week.
yo
Common Mistakes
Mistake: establezco (as past tense)
Correct: establecí
Why: Learners often confuse the irregular present 'yo' form with the past tense.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: establezco
Establecer is irregular in the 'yo' form (establezco), but regular for all other persons.
Imperfect
yo: establecía
The imperfect of establecer is regular: establecía, establecías, establecía, establecíamos, establecíais, establecían.
Future
yo: estableceré
The future tense is regular: add the endings -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án to the infinitive establecer.
Conditional
yo: establecería
The conditional is regular: add -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían to the infinitive establecer.
Present Subjunctive
yo: establezca
The present subjunctive uses the irregular 'establezc-' stem for all persons.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: estableciera
Formed using the preterite stem: estableciera, establecieras, estableciera, etc.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: establece
The imperative uses 'establece' for tú and 'establezca' for formal/plural commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no establezcas
Negative commands always use the present subjunctive forms: no establezcas, no establezca, etc.