escapó
/es-kah-POH/
escaped
El pájaro escapó (escaped) de su jaula.
escapó(verb)
escaped
?fled captivity or danger
,ran away
?fleeing a place or person
got away
?referring to a person or animal
📝 In Action
El perro se escapó por la puerta abierta.
A2The dog escaped through the open door.
Ella escapó de la prisión hace dos días.
B1She escaped from the prison two days ago.
¿Cómo escapó usted de esa situación tan difícil?
B1How did you (formal) escape that difficult situation?
💡 Grammar Points
The Simple Past (Preterite)
'escapó' tells you that the action of escaping happened once and finished completely in the past. It's like saying 'did escape' or 'fled'.
Reflexive Use: Escaparse
When used with 'se' (escaparse), it often emphasizes that the person or thing escaped by their own initiative, or that the escape was successful.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Past Tenses
Mistake: "Using 'escapaba' (imperfect) when you mean 'escapó' (preterite)."
Correction: 'Escapó' focuses on the single moment of escape; 'escapaba' describes the ongoing process or habit of escaping.
⭐ Usage Tips
Focus on the 'O'
The accent mark on the 'ó' is crucial! It tells you instantly that this is the past tense form for 'he/she/it' or 'you (formal)'.
La oportunidad escapó (slipped away).
escapó(verb)
slipped away
?opportunity, chance, or memory
,missed (a chance)
?opportunity
got away
?a piece of information or secret
📝 In Action
Se le escapó la respuesta correcta en el examen.
B1The correct answer slipped his mind during the exam. (Literally: The answer escaped him.)
El secreto escapó antes de que pudieran detenerlo.
B2The secret got out before they could stop it.
La oportunidad de viajar escapó de sus manos.
C1The opportunity to travel slipped through his hands.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Accidental Se' Construction
When used to mean 'slipped away' or 'forgotten,' 'escapó' often uses the structure 'se le' (or 'se me', 'se te', etc.). This highlights that the event was accidental or unintentional, making the answer or opportunity the 'subject' doing the escaping.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Direct Translation
Mistake: "Saying 'Él escapó la oportunidad' (He escaped the opportunity)."
Correction: Use the accidental structure: 'Se le escapó la oportunidad' (The opportunity escaped him/slipped away from him).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: escapó
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'escapó' to mean a memory was lost?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'escapó' have an accent mark?
The accent mark on the 'ó' is essential! It shows that the stress falls on the final syllable, which is the standard pattern for all 'él/ella/usted' forms in the simple past (preterite) tense of regular -ar verbs.
What is the difference between 'escapó' and 'escapaba'?
'Escapó' (preterite) tells you the escape happened and finished at a specific point in the past (e.g., 'He escaped yesterday'). 'Escapaba' (imperfect) describes the ongoing process of escaping or a past habit (e.g., 'He was escaping' or 'He used to escape').