creyó
“creyó” means “believed” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
believed
Also: gave credit to
📝 In Action
Ella creyó la excusa que le dio su hijo.
A2She believed the excuse her son gave her.
Él no creyó que fuera posible ganar la lotería.
B1He didn't believe it was possible to win the lottery.
Usted creyó todo lo que leyó en el periódico.
B1You (formal) believed everything you read in the newspaper.
thought
📝 In Action
Ella creyó que la reunión era a las 3, pero se equivocó.
B1She thought the meeting was at 3, but she was wrong.
Él creyó que el camino era más corto.
B1He thought the road was shorter.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: creyó
Question 1 of 2
Which subject pronoun CANNOT be used with the verb form 'creyó'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The verb *creer* comes from the Latin word *credere*, which meant 'to trust' or 'to entrust'. This root is shared with the English word 'credit'.
First recorded: 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'creyó' have a 'y' instead of an 'i'?
This is a spelling rule for verbs like *creer* in the simple past (preterite) tense. When the letter 'i' is surrounded by vowels (like the *e* and *ó*), Spanish changes the 'i' to a 'y' (*cre-y-ó*) to make the word easier to pronounce and flow better.
If I want to say 'He was believing' (ongoing action), should I use 'creyó'?
No. *Creyó* means the action finished completely ('He believed'). For ongoing actions in the past, you should use the Imperfect tense: *creía* ('He was believing' or 'He used to believe').