cometió
/koh-meh-tee-OH/
committed
When referring to an offense or crime, cometió means 'committed'.
cometió(verb)
committed
?crime, offense
perpetrated
?formal/legal
,carried out
?negative action
📝 In Action
El sospechoso cometió el robo anoche.
B1The suspect committed the robbery last night.
Ella cometió una falta grave y fue sancionada.
B2She committed a serious foul and was penalized.
La policía confirmó que nadie más cometió el crimen.
B1The police confirmed that no one else committed the crime.
💡 Grammar Points
The Preterite Tense
This form, 'cometió', tells us that the action started and finished completely in the past. It's used for single, completed events.
Who Did It?
Since 'cometió' ends in -ió, it refers to 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), or 'usted' (formal you). The subject is often left out if it's clear from the context.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Hacer' for Mistakes
Mistake: "El hizo un error."
Correction: Él cometió un error. ('Cometer' is the specific verb used for 'making/committing' errors or crimes.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Focus on Negative Actions
'Cometer' is almost always used when the action being performed is negative, like a mistake, a crime, or a sin. Do not use it for positive actions like 'cometer una obra de arte'.
Cometió also translates to 'made' when referring to an error or mistake.
📝 In Action
Cuando era joven, cometió muchos errores de juicio.
B2When he was young, he made many errors in judgment.
Ella no se disculpó por el fallo que cometió.
B2She did not apologize for the mistake she made.
💡 Grammar Points
Past Action Focus
Remember, 'cometió' is the simple past (preterite), meaning the mistake was a single, finished event. If the mistake happened repeatedly over a long time, you would use 'cometía' (the imperfect).
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal vs. Informal Mistakes
While 'cometer' is often used for mistakes, in informal speech, Spanish speakers often prefer 'equivocarse' (to be mistaken) or 'meter la pata' (to put one's foot in it).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: cometió
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses the meaning of 'cometió' (Definition 1)?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'cometió' always about something bad?
In modern Spanish, yes, almost always. While the original Latin word was neutral, 'cometer' is now strongly associated with negative actions like crimes, errors, sins, or indiscretions. If the action is positive, use a different verb like 'hacer' or 'realizar'.
What is the difference between 'cometió' and 'cometía'?
'Cometió' (preterite) describes a single, finished action in the past (e.g., 'He committed the crime once'). 'Cometía' (imperfect) describes habitual or ongoing actions in the past (e.g., 'He used to commit errors frequently').