enseñó
/en-se-nyó/
taught
The teacher taught the lesson about geography.
📝 In Action
Mi abuela me enseñó a leer cuando era niña.
A1My grandmother taught me how to read when I was little.
El profesor enseñó la lección sobre la historia de España ayer.
A2The professor taught the lesson about Spanish history yesterday.
¿Quién le enseñó a usted esa técnica tan avanzada?
B1Who taught you (formal) that such advanced technique?
💡 Grammar Points
The Simple Past (Preterite)
This word, 'enseñó', is used for actions that started and finished at a specific point in the past, like 'yesterday' or 'last year'.
Regular -AR Verb
Since 'enseñar' is a regular '-ar' verb, its endings follow the most common pattern, making it easy to conjugate once you know the rule.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Preterite vs. Imperfect
Mistake: "Usar 'enseñaba' para una acción única y terminada."
Correction: Use 'enseñó' (preterite) for one-time completed actions ('He taught one class'). Use 'enseñaba' (imperfect) for habits or descriptions in the past ('He used to teach every day').
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal vs. Informal
Remember that 'enseñó' can mean 'he taught,' 'she taught,' or the formal 'you taught' (usted). Context usually tells you which one it is.
She showed him the beautiful flower she found.
enseñó(Verb)
showed
?as in displaying an object
displayed
?past action
,pointed out
?indicating a location or object
📝 In Action
Ella me enseñó las fotos de su viaje a México.
A1She showed me the photos from her trip to Mexico.
El guía nos enseñó la catedral más antigua de la ciudad.
A2The guide showed us the oldest cathedral in the city.
Él enseñó su frustración al romper el lápiz.
B1He showed his frustration by breaking the pencil.
💡 Grammar Points
Showing 'To Whom'
When using 'enseñar' to mean 'show,' you often need to include the indirect object pronoun (like 'me', 'nos', 'le') to specify who was shown the item.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up 'enseñar' and 'mostrar'
Mistake: "Thinking 'enseñar' only means 'to teach.'"
Correction: While 'enseñar' is primarily 'to teach,' it is very frequently used as a synonym for 'mostrar' (to show) in daily conversation.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
If the object being 'enseñó' is a skill, a subject, or knowledge, it means 'taught.' If it's a physical object (like a photo or a house), it means 'showed.'
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: enseñó
Question 1 of 2
Which English translation is correct for the sentence: 'Mi jefe me enseñó el nuevo plan.'
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'enseñó' sound like 'he taught' and 'you taught' (formal)?
In Spanish, the formal 'you' (usted) uses the exact same verb ending as 'he' (él) and 'she' (ella). You usually figure out who is being talked about from the context or by using the pronoun (usted).
Is 'enseñó' a regular or irregular verb form?
'Enseñó' comes from the verb 'enseñar,' which is a fully regular verb. It follows the standard rules for -ar verbs in all tenses, including the simple past (preterite).