salvaste
sahl-VAHS-teh
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
¡Qué alivio! Tú salvaste el partido con ese gol.
A2What a relief! You saved the game with that goal.
Cuando me caí, tú me salvaste de una lesión grave.
B1When I fell, you saved me from a serious injury.
Si no hubieras llegado a tiempo, no salvaste nada de la inundación.
B2If you hadn't arrived in time, you wouldn't have saved anything from the flood.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Tú' Past Action
Salvaste is the simple past (preterite) form for 'tú' (you, informal). It describes a single, completed action of saving that happened at a definite time in the past.
Regular -AR Verb
Since 'salvar' is a regular '-ar' verb, its past tense endings follow the most common pattern, making 'salvaste' very predictable.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Past Tenses
Mistake: "Usando 'salvabas' para una acción terminada (e.g., 'Ayer salvabas al perro')."
Correction: Use 'salvaste' (preterite) for actions that happened once and are finished. 'Salvabas' (imperfect) is for ongoing, repeated, or descriptive past actions.
⭐ Usage Tips
Focus on the Result
Use 'salvaste' when the result of the saving is the most important thing: the person or thing is now safe because of your action.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: salvaste
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'salvaste'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'salvaste' and 'salvabas'?
'Salvaste' (preterite) means 'You saved' once, at a specific point in the past (e.g., 'You saved the dog yesterday'). 'Salvabas' (imperfect) means 'You were saving' or 'You used to save,' referring to an ongoing, repeated, or descriptive past action.
Can I use 'salvaste' for saving a file on a computer?
Yes, although the infinitive 'salvar' is used for saving files (like in English), the form 'salvaste' means 'you saved the file.' However, in some regions, people use the verb 'guardar' (to keep/store) more often for digital files.