graduar Preterite Conjugation
graduar — to graduate
The preterite of graduar is regular: gradué, graduaste, graduó, graduamos, graduasteis, graduaron.
graduar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite for the specific moment someone finished their studies or the exact time a device was calibrated.
Notes on graduar in the Preterite
Graduar is regular in the preterite. It does NOT have the accent on the 'u' that you see in the present tense.
Example Sentences
Me gradué de la universidad el año pasado.
I graduated from university last year.
yo
Él graduó sus lentes ayer.
He had his glasses adjusted yesterday.
él/ella/usted
Ellos se graduaron con honores.
They graduated with honors.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Adding an extra 'u' accent like 'gradúe' in the past.
Correct: gradué
Why: The accent shift only happens in the present tense; the preterite follows standard -ar endings.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: gradúo
The present of graduar features an accent shift on the 'u': gradúo, gradúas, gradúa, graduamos, graduáis, gradúan.
Imperfect
yo: graduaba
The imperfect of graduar is regular: graduaba, graduabas, graduaba, graduábamos, graduabais, graduaban.
Future
yo: graduaré
The future of graduar is regular: graduaré, graduarás, graduará, graduaremos, graduaréis, graduarán.
Conditional
yo: graduaría
The conditional of graduar is regular: graduaría, graduarías, graduaría, graduaríamos, graduaríais, graduarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: gradúe
The present subjunctive of graduar adds an accent to the 'u' in most forms: gradúe, gradúes, gradúe, graduemos, graduéis, gradúen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: graduara
The imperfect subjunctive is regular based on the preterite stem: graduara, graduaras, graduara, graduáramos, graduarais, graduaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: gradúa
The imperative of graduar uses the accent shift in singular and plural 'usted' forms: gradúa, gradúe, graduemos, graduad, gradúen.
Negative Imperative
yo: no gradúes
The negative imperative uses the present subjunctive forms: no gradúes, no gradúe, no graduemos, no graduéis, no gradúen.