mentí
men-TEE
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Sí, lo admito, mentí sobre mi edad.
A2Yes, I admit it, I lied about my age.
Te dije que no fui yo, pero en realidad mentí.
B1I told you it wasn't me, but actually I lied.
Ella me preguntó, y para evitar problemas, mentí.
B1She asked me, and to avoid problems, I lied.
💡 Grammar Points
Preterite Tense ('I did')
'Mentí' is the 'yo' form of the past tense used for actions that started and finished at a specific point in time, like saying 'I lied yesterday'.
Stem-Change Warning
Even though 'mentí' (I lied) looks regular, the verb 'mentir' is tricky! Its third-person forms ('mintió', 'mintieron') and many forms in the present tense change the 'e' to an 'i'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Past Tenses
Mistake: "Using the imperfect tense: 'Yo mentía' (I used to lie / I was lying)."
Correction: Use 'mentí' when talking about a single, completed action: 'Ayer mentí' (Yesterday I lied).
⭐ Usage Tips
Easy Pronunciation
The accent mark on the 'i' in 'mentí' tells you to stress that final syllable: men-TEE. This is standard for 'yo' preterite forms of -er and -ir verbs.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: mentí
Question 1 of 2
Which of these sentences correctly uses 'mentí'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'mentí' have an accent mark?
The accent mark on the 'í' is there to ensure you stress the last syllable (men-TEE). This is a rule for almost all 'yo' forms in the simple past (preterite) tense for -er and -ir verbs.
How is 'mentí' different from 'mentía'?
'Mentí' means 'I lied' (one time, finished). 'Mentía' means 'I used to lie' (a habit in the past) or 'I was lying' (an ongoing action in the past).