virar Preterite Conjugation
virar — to turn
The preterite of virar is regular: viré, viraste, viró, viramos, virasteis, viraron.
virar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite for completed actions of turning in the past. Think of a specific instance: 'Viré a la derecha en la esquina' (I turned right at the corner) or 'El coche viró repentinamente' (The car turned suddenly). It's about the turn happening and finishing.
Notes on virar in the Preterite
Virar is fully regular in the preterite. All forms follow the standard -ar verb conjugation: viré, viraste, viró, viramos, virasteis, viraron.
Example Sentences
Viré a la derecha en el semáforo.
I turned right at the traffic light.
yo
¿Viste cómo viró el autobús?
Did you see how the bus turned?
él/ella/usted
Viramos en la carretera vieja.
We turned onto the old road.
nosotros
Ellos viraron bruscamente para evitar el obstáculo.
They turned sharply to avoid the obstacle.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect 'viraba' instead of the preterite 'viró' for a single, completed turn.
Correct: Use 'viró' for a specific turn that happened and ended.
Why: The preterite marks a completed action, while the imperfect describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on 'viró' (él/ella/usted).
Correct: The correct form is 'viró' with an accent on the 'o'.
Why: The accent helps distinguish this preterite form from other verb forms and indicates the stressed syllable.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: viro
The present tense of virar (viro, viras, vira, etc.) describes actions happening now or habitual turns.
Imperfect
yo: viraba
The imperfect of virar (viraba, virabas, etc.) describes ongoing or habitual past turns.
Future
yo: viraré
The future tense of virar (viraré, virarás, etc.) indicates actions that will happen.
Conditional
yo: viraría
The conditional of virar (viraría, virarías, etc.) expresses hypothetical turns ('would turn') or polite suggestions.
Present Subjunctive
yo: vire
The present subjunctive of virar (vire, vires, viremos, etc.) expresses wishes, doubts, emotions, and uncertainty.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: virara
The imperfect subjunctive of virar (virara/virase) is used for past hypotheticals, wishes, or doubts.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: vira
Use the imperative of virar for direct commands: vira (tú), vire (usted/ustedes), viremos (nosotros), virad (vosotros).
Negative Imperative
yo: no vires
Negative commands use 'no' plus the present subjunctive: no vires (tú), no vire (usted/ustedes), no viremos (nosotros), no viréis (vosotros).