Inklingo

preceder

pre-seh-DEHRpɾeseˈðeɾ

preceder means to precede in Spanish (to happen or exist before something else).

to precede

Also: to go before
VerbB1regular erformal
A row of colorful ducklings where a bright yellow mother duck is walking in front of her small fluffy ducklings.
gerundprecediendo
past Participleprecedido
infinitivepreceder

📝 In Action

El relámpago suele preceder al trueno.

B1

Lightning usually precedes thunder.

Un breve video precederá a la presentación principal.

B1

A short video will go before the main presentation.

Los eventos que precedieron a la revolución fueron muy tensos.

B2

The events that preceded the revolution were very tense.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • anteceder (to antecede)
  • ir delante (to go in front)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • preceder en el tiempoto come before in time
  • preceder en rangoto outrank

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yoprecediera
precedieras
él/ella/ustedprecediera
nosotrosprecediéramos
vosotrosprecedierais
ellos/ellas/ustedesprecedieran

Present Subjunctive

yopreceda
precedas
él/ella/ustedpreceda
nosotrosprecedamos
vosotrosprecedáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesprecedan

Indicative

Preterite

yoprecedí
precediste
él/ella/ustedprecedió
nosotrosprecedimos
vosotrosprecedisteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesprecedieron

Imperfect

yoprecedía
precedías
él/ella/ustedprecedía
nosotrosprecedíamos
vosotrosprecedíais
ellos/ellas/ustedesprecedían

Present

yoprecedo
precedes
él/ella/ustedprecede
nosotrosprecedemos
vosotrosprecedéis
ellos/ellas/ustedespreceden

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "preceder" in Spanish:

to precede

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: preceder

Question 1 of 3

Which of these is the correct way to say 'The introduction precedes the first chapter'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
precedente(precedent / previous)Noun / Adjective
precedencia(precedence / priority)Noun
sin precedentes(unprecedented)Adjective
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

From the Latin 'praecedere', which combines 'prae' (before) and 'cedere' (to go). It literally means 'to go before'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: precedeFrench: précéderItalian: precedere

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'preceder' and 'anteceder'?

They are almost identical. 'Preceder' is much more common in general use, while 'anteceder' is slightly more formal or used specifically in linguistic/technical contexts.

Can 'preceder' be used for people walking in a line?

Yes. You can say 'El escolta precede al presidente' (The escort goes before the president).

Is 'preceder' common in spoken Spanish?

Not really. In casual conversation, people usually say 'ir antes de' or 'estar antes de'. You'll mostly see 'preceder' in books, speeches, or news reports.