desaparecieron
deh-sah-pah-reh-SEE-ehr-ohn
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Las nubes desaparecieron después de la tormenta.
A2The clouds disappeared after the storm.
Los documentos importantes desaparecieron de la caja fuerte.
B1The important documents vanished from the safe.
Mis vecinos se mudaron y desaparecieron sin dejar una dirección.
B2My neighbors moved and disappeared without leaving an address.
💡 Grammar Points
Preterite Tense Function
'Desaparecieron' tells you that the act of disappearing was a completed action at a specific point in the past. It’s used when telling a story or reporting a single event.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Preterite and Imperfect
Mistake: "Using 'desaparecían' (imperfect) when you mean 'desaparecieron'."
Correction: 'Desaparecieron' is for a single, finished event (The keys vanished). 'Desaparecían' describes a repeated or ongoing state in the past (They used to vanish often).
⭐ Usage Tips
The Subject is Plural
Since this word ends in '-eron', the subject must be plural (more than one person or thing). Look for 'ellos', 'ellas', 'ustedes', or any plural noun.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: desaparecieron
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'desaparecieron'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the base verb 'desaparecer' considered irregular if 'desaparecieron' looks regular?
The verb 'desaparecer' is only slightly irregular in the Present Tense and Subjunctive, where the 'c' changes to 'zc' (e.g., 'yo desaparezco'). However, in the Simple Past (Preterite), the tense of 'desaparecieron', it follows the standard pattern for -er verbs perfectly.