huir Preterite Conjugation
huir — to flee
The preterite of huir involves a 'y' spelling change in the third person: huyó and huyeron.
huir Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite for a specific instance of fleeing or escaping that has a definite beginning and end, such as a one-time escape from danger.
Notes on huir in the Preterite
Huir changes the 'i' to 'y' in the third-person singular (huyó) and plural (huyeron) to avoid having three vowels in a row. Also, note the accent on the 'í' in the 'yo' form (huí).
Example Sentences
El ladrón huyó por la ventana.
The thief fled through the window.
él/ella/usted
Huí de la ciudad apenas empezó el ruido.
I fled the city as soon as the noise started.
yo
Los prisioneros huyeron anoche.
The prisoners escaped last night.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Writing 'huio' or 'huieron'.
Correct: huyó / huyeron
Why: In Spanish, an unstressed 'i' between two vowels must change to a 'y'.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: huyo
In the present tense, huir adds a 'y' to its stem for all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Imperfect
yo: huía
The imperfect of huir is regular: huía, huías, huía, huíamos, huíais, huían.
Future
yo: huiré
The future tense of huir is regular: huiré, huirás, huirá, huiremos, huiréis, huirán.
Conditional
yo: huiría
The conditional of huir is regular: huiría, huirías, huiría, huiríamos, huiríais, huirían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: huya
The present subjunctive follows the 'yo' form change: huya, huyas, huya, huyamos, huyáis, huyan.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: huyera
The imperfect subjunctive is based on the 'huyeron' stem: huyera, huyeras, huyera, huyéramos, huyerais, huyeran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: huye
The imperative uses the 'y' stem for most commands: huye, huya, huyamos, huid, huyan.
Negative Imperative
yo: no huyas
Negative commands use the present subjunctive forms: no huyas, no huya, no huyamos, no huyáis, no huyan.