exterminar Preterite Conjugation
exterminar — to exterminate
The preterite of exterminar is regular: exterminé, exterminaste, exterminó, exterminamos, exterminasteis, exterminaron.
exterminar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite of 'exterminar' to talk about a specific, completed action of exterminating something in the past, like 'We exterminated the ants yesterday.'
Notes on exterminar in the Preterite
Exterminar is a regular -ar verb and follows the standard conjugation pattern in the preterite tense. The nosotros form 'exterminamos' is identical to the present tense, so context is key.
Example Sentences
Ayer, exterminé a las termitas.
Yesterday, I exterminated the termites.
yo
¿Tú exterminaste la plaga de ratones?
Did you exterminate the mouse infestation?
tú
El granjero exterminó las malas hierbas.
The farmer exterminated the weeds.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros exterminamos los mosquitos el verano pasado.
We exterminated the mosquitoes last summer.
nosotros
Ellos exterminaron la invasión de hormigas.
They exterminated the ant invasion.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect tense instead of the preterite for a completed action.
Correct: For a specific event like 'exterminated the pests last night', use the preterite: 'exterminé'.
Why: The preterite marks a single, finished event, while the imperfect describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on the 'yo' form.
Correct: The 'yo' form requires an accent: 'exterminé'.
Why: The accent differentiates the preterite 'yo' form and indicates the stressed syllable.
Master Spanish verbs in context
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: extermino
The present tense of exterminar (extermino, exterminas, etc.) describes current or habitual actions of exterminating.
Imperfect
yo: exterminaba
The imperfect of exterminar (exterminaba, exterminabas, etc.) describes ongoing or habitual past actions of exterminating.
Future
yo: exterminaré
The future tense of exterminar is regular: exterminaré, exterminarás, exterminará, exterminaremos, exterminaréis, exterminarán.
Conditional
yo: exterminaría
The conditional of exterminar (exterminaría, exterminarías, etc.) expresses hypothetical actions ('would'), polite requests, or future-in-the-past.
Present Subjunctive
yo: extermine
The present subjunctive of exterminar (extermine, extermines, etc.) is used after expressions of doubt, desire, emotion, and uncertainty.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: exterminara
The imperfect subjunctive of exterminar (exterminara/exterminase) expresses hypothetical or unlikely past actions.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: extermina
Imperative commands for exterminar: extermina (tú), extermine (usted), exterminemos (nosotros), exterminad (vosotros), exterminen (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no extermines
Negative commands for exterminar use the present subjunctive: no extermines (tú), no extermine (usted), no exterminemos (nosotros), no exterminéis (vosotros), no exterminen (ustedes).