A single red domino tipping over and making contact with a stack of colorful wooden blocks, clearly showing the action that causes the blocks to scatter.

causó

kah-oo-SOH

VerbB1regular ar

caused?He/she/it caused,resulted in?Led to an outcome

Also:provoked?Caused a strong reaction,brought about?Initiated an event

Quick Reference

infinitivecausar

gerundcausando

past Participlecausado

📝 In Action

La tormenta causó daños significativos en la costa.

The storm caused significant damage along the coast.

Su comentario causó risa en toda la audiencia.

His comment caused laughter throughout the entire audience.

Usted causó una gran impresión con su presentación.

You (formal) made a great impression with your presentation.

Word Connections

Synonyms

provocó (provoked/caused)
originó (originated/started)
produjo (produced/generated)

Common Collocations

causó alarma – it caused alarm
causó un impacto – it caused an impact
causó la muerte – it caused the death

💡 Grammar Points

Identifying the Speaker

Since 'causó' means 'he, she, it, or usted (formal you) caused,' you usually need context or a subject noun (like 'la tormenta') to know exactly who or what performed the action.

The Simple Past (Preterite)

'Causó' describes an action that started and finished completely at a specific point in the past. It’s a clean, finished action, unlike 'causaba' (the imperfect), which describes ongoing or habitual past actions.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Misusing the Accent Mark

Mistake: "Escribir 'causo' (without the accent) cuando quieres decir 'he/she caused'."

Correction: The accent on 'causó' is essential! Without it, 'causo' means 'I cause' (present tense). The accent shifts the stress to the end, signaling the simple past tense.

⭐ Usage Tips

Formal Writing Staple

'Causó' is perfect for formal reports, news articles, or academic writing when attributing responsibility or describing a consequence.

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedcausa

yocauso

túcausas

ellos/ellas/ustedescausan

nosotroscausamos

vosotroscausáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedcausaba

yocausaba

túcausabas

ellos/ellas/ustedescausaban

nosotroscausábamos

vosotroscausabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedcausó

yocausé

túcausaste

ellos/ellas/ustedescausaron

nosotroscausamos

vosotroscausasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedcause

yocause

túcauses

ellos/ellas/ustedescausen

nosotroscausemos

vosotroscauséis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedcausara/causase

yocausara/causase

túcausaras/causases

ellos/ellas/ustedescausaran/causasen

nosotroscausáramos/causásemos

vosotroscausarais/causaseis

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: causó

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'causó'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

causa(cause, reason) - noun

causante(the causer, responsible agent) - noun/adjective

causal(causal) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'causó' and 'causaba'?

'Causó' is the simple past (preterite), meaning the event started and finished entirely (e.g., 'The fire caused damage'). 'Causaba' is the descriptive past (imperfect), used for things that were ongoing, habitual, or happened repeatedly in the past (e.g., 'The pollution habitually caused problems').

Can I use 'causó' when talking about myself?

Only if you are using the formal 'usted' form, which is rare for referring to yourself. If you mean 'I caused,' you must use 'yo causé' (with an 'é').