recoger Preterite Conjugation
recoger — to pick up
The preterite of recoger is regular: recogí, recogiste, recogió, recogimos, recogisteis, recogieron.
recoger Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite to talk about a specific time you picked someone up or finished tidying a room. It focuses on the action as a completed event.
Notes on recoger in the Preterite
In the preterite, recoger is completely regular. Unlike the present tense, the 'g' remains a 'g' throughout because it is followed by 'i' or 'e'.
Example Sentences
Recogí a mi hermano del aeropuerto ayer.
I picked up my brother from the airport yesterday.
yo
¿Recogiste tu habitación por fin?
Did you finally tidy up your room?
tú
Recogieron todos los juguetes después de la fiesta.
They picked up all the toys after the party.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using 'recojí' with a 'j'.
Correct: Recogí
Why: Learners often over-apply the 'g' to 'j' spelling change from the present tense. In the preterite, the 'g' stays because 'gi' already makes the 'h' sound.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'recoger' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: recojo
Recoger has a spelling change in the 'yo' form (recojo) to keep the 'h' sound, but is otherwise regular.
Imperfect
yo: recogía
The imperfect of recoger is regular: recogía, recogías, recogía, recogíamos, recogíais, recogían.
Future
yo: recogeré
The future of recoger is regular: recogeré, recogerás, recogerá, recogeremos, recogeréis, recogerán.
Conditional
yo: recogería
The conditional of recoger is regular: recogería, recogerías, recogería, recogeríamos, recogeríais, recogerían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: recoja
The present subjunctive of recoger uses the 'j' spelling in all forms: recoja, recojas, recoja, recojamos, recojáis, recojan.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: recogiera
The imperfect subjunctive of recoger is regular: recogiera, recogieras, recogiera, recogiéramos, recogierais, recogieran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: recoge
The imperative uses 'recoge' (tú) and 'recoja' (usted). Note the 'j' in the formal and plural forms.
Negative Imperative
yo: no recojas
The negative imperative always uses a 'j': no recojas, no recoja, no recojamos, no recojáis, no recojan.