resistir Preterite Conjugation
resistir — to withstand
The preterite of resistir, like 'resistí' (I resisted) and 'resistieron' (they resisted), is regular and marks completed past actions.
resistir Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite to talk about actions that started and finished at a specific point in the past. For example, 'Resistió el ataque durante una hora' means 'He resisted the attack for an hour' (a completed action).
Notes on resistir in the Preterite
Resistir is regular in the preterite tense. The conjugation follows the standard pattern for -ir verbs: resistí, resististe, resistió, resistimos, resististeis, resistieron.
Example Sentences
Yo resistí la tentación de comprarlo.
I resisted the temptation to buy it.
yo
¿Resististe la presión?
Did you resist the pressure?
tú
El puente resistió el terremoto.
The bridge withstood the earthquake.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros resistimos el primer asalto.
We resisted the first assault.
nosotros
Ellos resistieron la orden por varios días.
They resisted the order for several days.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect ('resistía') for a completed past action.
Correct: For a completed action with a clear end, use the preterite: 'Resistió el ataque'.
Why: The imperfect describes ongoing or habitual past actions, while the preterite describes finished ones.
Mistake: Confusing 'resistimos' (preterite) with 'resistimos' (present).
Correct: Context is key. 'Ayer resistimos' (yesterday we resisted) clearly indicates preterite.
Why: The 'nosotros' form is identical in both present and preterite indicative tenses.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: resisto
The present tense of resistir, like 'resisto' (I resist) and 'resisten' (they resist), is regular and used for current or habitual actions.
Imperfect
yo: resistía
The imperfect of resistir, like 'resistía' (I/he/she/it used to resist), describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
Future
yo: resistiré
The future tense of resistir, like 'resistiré' (I will resist), is formed by adding endings to the infinitive.
Conditional
yo: resistiría
The conditional of resistir, like 'resistiría' (I would resist), is used for hypotheticals and polite suggestions.
Present Subjunctive
yo: resista
Use present subjunctive forms like 'resista' (yo/él/ella/usted) and 'resistan' (ellos/ellas/ustedes) after expressions of doubt, desire, or emotion.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: resistiera
Use imperfect subjunctive forms like 'resistiera' or 'resistiese' for past hypotheticals or polite requests.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: resiste
Use imperative forms like 'resiste' (tú) and 'resistan' (ustedes) for direct commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no resistas
Negative commands like 'no resistas' (tú) use the present subjunctive.