pidió
“pidió” means “he/she asked for” in Spanish (general request).
he/she asked for, you asked for
Also: he/she ordered, he/she requested
📝 In Action
Ella pidió un café con leche.
A1She ordered a coffee with milk.
El niño le pidió un juguete a su mamá.
A2The boy asked his mom for a toy.
El jefe pidió el informe para el lunes.
B1The boss asked for the report for Monday.
Disculpe, ¿usted me pidió la hora?
B1Excuse me, did you (formal) ask me for the time?
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: pidió
Question 1 of 1
Your friend is telling you what happened at a restaurant yesterday. Which sentence is correct?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'petere,' which had several meanings like 'to seek,' 'to aim for,' 'to attack,' and 'to ask for.' Over time, the 'asking for' meaning became the main one in Spanish. It's a direct cousin of the English word 'petition.'
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the 'e' in 'pedir' change to an 'i' in 'pidió'?
'Pedir' is an irregular verb. In the past tense (preterite), the 'e' in its stem changes to an 'i' for the 'he/she/you (formal)' and 'they/you all' forms. It's a spelling change that helps maintain the sound of the word. You just have to memorize this pattern for verbs like 'pedir', 'servir' (sirvió), and 'repetir' (repitió).
Can I use 'ordenó' instead of 'pidió' when talking about ordering food?
Yes, you can. 'Él ordenó una hamburguesa' is perfectly correct and everyone will understand you. However, in everyday, casual conversation, 'pidió' is much more common and sounds more natural.