exhalar Preterite Conjugation
exhalar — to exhale
The preterite of exhalar is regular: exhalé, exhalaste, exhaló, exhalamos, exhalasteis, exhalaron.
exhalar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite to talk about the act of exhaling as a completed event in the past. For example, 'He exhaled once' or 'We exhaled at the same time.'
Notes on exhalar in the Preterite
Exhalar is completely regular in the preterite tense. The nosotros form 'exhalamos' is identical to the present indicative, so context is key.
Example Sentences
Exhalé todo el aire de mis pulmones.
I exhaled all the air from my lungs.
yo
¿Exhalaste después de aguantar la respiración?
Did you exhale after holding your breath?
tú
Ella exhaló con alivio.
She exhaled with relief.
él/ella/usted
Los atletas exhalaron al mismo tiempo.
The athletes exhaled at the same time.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using 'exhalé' without the accent.
Correct: The yo form requires an accent: exhalé.
Why: The accent on the final 'é' is crucial for distinguishing the preterite yo form and indicating the stress.
Mistake: Confusing preterite with imperfect.
Correct: Use preterite for single, completed actions like 'exhaló una vez'. Use imperfect for ongoing or habitual past actions.
Why: They describe different types of past events.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: exhalo
The present indicative exhalas (tú) and exhala (él/ella/usted) describes current actions or habits.
Imperfect
yo: exhalaba
The imperfect exhalaba (yo/él/ella/usted) describes ongoing or habitual past actions of exhaling.
Future
yo: exhalaré
The future tense exhalaré (yo) and exhalará (él/ella/usted) indicates an action that will happen.
Conditional
yo: exhalaría
The conditional exhalaría (yo/él/ella/usted) suggests 'would exhale' or polite requests.
Present Subjunctive
yo: exhale
Present subjunctive forms like exhale (yo/él/ella/usted) are used after expressions of doubt, desire, or emotion.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: exhalara
The imperfect subjunctive exhalara/exhalarais/exhalaran expresses past hypotheticals or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: exhala
Use imperative forms like exhala (tú) and exhale (usted) for direct commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no exhales
Negative commands use 'no' plus the present subjunctive, like no exhales (tú) or no exhale (usted).