prender Preterite Conjugation
prender — to turn on
Use 'prendí', 'prendiste', 'prendió' for completed actions like 'I turned on the light'.
prender Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
The preterite tense is for actions in the past that have a clear beginning and end. If you turned on a device at a specific moment and that action is finished, use the preterite. For example, 'Yesterday, I turned on the radio' or 'She turned on the computer this morning'.
Notes on prender in the Preterite
Prender is regular in the preterite. All the endings are standard for -er verbs: -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.
Example Sentences
Anoche, prendí la chimenea.
Last night, I turned on the fireplace.
yo
¿Prendiste el horno para la cena?
Did you turn on the oven for dinner?
tú
Él prendió las luces del jardín.
He turned on the garden lights.
él/ella/usted
Ellos prendieron la alarma a las siete.
They turned on the alarm at seven.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect instead of preterite for a single, completed action: 'Yo prendía la luz cada mañana'.
Correct: If it was a specific instance, use the preterite: 'Yo prendí la luz esta mañana'.
Why: The imperfect describes ongoing or habitual past actions, while the preterite describes finished ones.
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on the 'yo' form: 'Yo prendi'.
Correct: The 'yo' form needs an accent: 'Yo prendí'.
Why: The accent on the 'í' distinguishes the preterite 'yo' form and indicates the stress on the final syllable.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: prendo
Use 'prendo', 'prendes', 'prende' for actions happening now or habitually, like 'I turn on the TV'.
Imperfect
yo: prendía
Use 'prendía' for ongoing or habitual past actions, like 'I used to turn on'.
Future
yo: prenderé
Use 'prenderé', 'prenderás' for actions that will happen, like 'I will turn on'.
Conditional
yo: prendería
Use 'prendería' for hypothetical situations, like 'I would turn on'.
Present Subjunctive
yo: prenda
Use 'prenda' for wishes, doubts, or emotions, like 'I hope you turn on'.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: prendiera
Use 'prendiera' or 'prendiera' for past hypotheticals or wishes, like 'if I turned on'.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: prende
Use 'prende' for tú, 'prendan' for ustedes to command someone to turn something on.
Negative Imperative
yo: no prendas
Use 'no prendas' for tú, 'no prendan' for ustedes to forbid someone from turning something on.