atacaron
/ah-tah-KAH-rohn/
they attacked
This illustration depicts figures engaging in a physical assault, demonstrating the meaning 'they attacked' in a military or physical context.
atacaron(Verb)
they attacked
?military/physical assault
,you all attacked
?formal plural, used in Latin America
they assaulted
?physical confrontation
📝 In Action
Los ladrones atacaron el banco anoche.
A2The thieves attacked the bank last night.
Ellas atacaron con fuerza al equipo rival.
B1They attacked the rival team forcefully.
Ustedes atacaron primero, según el informe.
B1You all attacked first, according to the report.
💡 Grammar Points
Identifying the Speaker
"Atacaron" tells you that the action was done by 'ellos' (they, masculine/mixed group), 'ellas' (they, feminine), or 'ustedes' (you all, formal plural).
Simple Past (Preterite)
This form describes an action that started and finished completely at a specific time in the past (e.g., last night, yesterday, an hour ago).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Past Tenses
Mistake: "Using 'atacaban' (imperfect) instead of 'atacaron'."
Correction: Use 'atacaron' (preterite) for a single, completed event. 'Atacaban' would mean 'they used to attack' or 'they were attacking' over a period of time.
⭐ Usage Tips
Regular AR Verb Pattern
Most verbs ending in -AR follow this exact pattern in the past tense, making it easy to learn many verbs at once (e.g., 'hablaron', 'compraron').
The image visualizes harsh verbal criticism, capturing the meaning 'they criticized' or verbally assaulted someone's reputation.
atacaron(Verb)
they criticized
?verbal or written assault on reputation/ideas
,they denounced
?public criticism
📝 In Action
Los periodistas atacaron las nuevas políticas del gobierno.
B2The journalists criticized the government's new policies.
Ellos atacaron su reputación con mentiras.
C1They assaulted his reputation with lies.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Use
Just like in English, 'to attack' can mean to verbally challenge or criticize someone's work or ideas, not just physically harm them.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: atacaron
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'atacaron' to describe a finished action?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'atacaron' a regular verb?
Yes, 'atacar' is a regular verb. It follows the standard pattern for -AR verbs, but watch out for a small spelling change in the 'yo' form of the preterite and the subjunctive to keep the hard 'k' sound: 'yo ataqué'.
How do I know if 'atacaron' refers to 'they' or 'you all'?
In Spain, it almost always means 'ellos/ellas' (they). In Latin America, it is the standard way to say 'ustedes' (you all, formal plural). Context, or the preceding pronouns, will usually make it clear.