pertenecía
per-teh-neh-SEE-ah
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Esa casa pertenecía a mi familia hace muchos años.
A2That house belonged to my family many years ago.
Yo pertenecía al equipo de fútbol de la escuela.
B1I belonged to the school soccer team.
El libro le pertenecía a ella, pero lo perdió.
B1The book belonged to her, but she lost it.
💡 Grammar Points
Describing the Past
Use this specific form (the 'imperfect') to describe ownership that lasted for an indefinite time in the past, like 'the car belonged to me' (it was a continuous state).
Shared Forms
This exact word is used for both 'I belonged' and 'he/she/it belonged.' Context usually makes it clear who you are talking about.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Choosing the right past form
Mistake: "Using 'perteneció' for long-term ownership."
Correction: Use 'pertenecía' when describing how things were over a long period. 'Perteneció' is better for a finished, specific moment.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with 'a'
Always follow this word with the letter 'a' to show who the owner is (e.g., 'pertenecía a Juan').
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: pertenecía
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly says 'The dog belonged to the neighbor'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'pertenecía' for 'I' or 'he'?
It can be both! Depending on the sentence, it means 'I belonged' (yo pertenecía) or 'he/she/it/you formal belonged' (él/ella/usted pertenecía).