recomendar Preterite Conjugation
recomendar — to recommend
Recomendar is completely regular in the preterite; it does NOT have a stem change here.
recomendar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite to talk about a specific recommendation you gave in the past, like a one-time tip or a suggestion made at a meeting.
Notes on recomendar in the Preterite
Unlike the present tense, the preterite of recomendar is 100% regular. There is no 'ie' change in any person.
Example Sentences
Ayer recomendé esa película a mi hermano.
Yesterday I recommended that movie to my brother.
yo
¿Nos recomendaste este hotel?
Did you recommend this hotel to us?
tú
El médico recomendó más ejercicio.
The doctor recommended more exercise.
él/ella/usted
Recomendamos el postre de la casa.
We recommended the house dessert.
Common Mistakes
Mistake: recomiendé
Correct: recomendé
Why: Learners often try to carry the 'ie' stem change from the present tense into the preterite, but it doesn't belong here.
Mistake: recomendo
Correct: recomendó
Why: Without the accent, 'recomendo' isn't a word; the accent on the 'ó' is vital for the third person past tense.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: recomiendo
Recomendar has a stem change (e > ie) in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Imperfect
yo: recomendaba
Recomendar is regular in the imperfect: recomendaba, recomendabas, recomendaba...
Future
yo: recomendaré
The future of recomendar is regular: add endings to the full infinitive.
Conditional
yo: recomendaría
The conditional uses the full infinitive + ía: recomendaría, recomendarías...
Present Subjunctive
yo: recomiende
Uses the 'ie' stem change: recomiende, recomiendes, recomiende...
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: recomendara
Formed from the 'recomendaron' stem: recomendara, recomendaras...
Affirmative Imperative
yo: recomienda
Give direct advice: recomienda (tú), recomiende (usted).
Negative Imperative
yo: no recomiendes
Uses 'no' + present subjunctive: no recomiendes, no recomiende.