salvó
/sahl-VOH/
saved
Salvó means "saved" when referring to rescuing someone from danger.
📝 In Action
El bombero salvó al gato del árbol.
A2The firefighter saved the cat from the tree.
Ella me salvó de un accidente terrible.
B1She saved me from a terrible accident.
💡 Grammar Points
Action in the Past
'Salvó' tells you that the action of saving happened and finished completely at a specific point in the past. It describes a single, completed event.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Preterite vs. Imperfect
Mistake: "Using 'salvaba' (imperfect) instead of 'salvó' (preterite) for a single, completed past action."
Correction: 'Salvó' is for a quick, finished event (He saved the child). 'Salvaba' describes a habit or background setting (He used to save money).
⭐ Usage Tips
Using the Accent Mark
The accent mark on the 'ó' is crucial! It tells you this is the past tense (preterite) for 'he/she/it/you formal.' Without it ('salvo'), the word means 'I save' (present tense).
Salvó also means "saved" when referring to preserving resources like money or time.
📝 In Action
Ella salvó mucho dinero con esa inversión.
B1She saved a lot of money with that investment.
Él salvó los cambios justo antes de que se fuera la luz.
B2He saved the changes just before the power went out.
💡 Grammar Points
Direct Object Use
When 'salvó' means saving resources, it usually takes a direct object (what was saved): 'salvó [el trabajo]' or 'salvó [la plata].'
Salvó can also mean "overcame," depicting success in facing a difficulty or hurdle.
📝 In Action
El atleta salvó el obstáculo con facilidad.
B2The athlete cleared the hurdle easily.
Salvó la situación al final de la reunión con una buena propuesta.
C1He saved the situation at the end of the meeting with a good proposal.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Use
In this context, 'salvó' means successfully dealing with a tricky situation, like 'saving face' or 'saving the day' in English.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: salvó
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'salvó' in the sense of saving time or resources?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'salvó' have an accent mark?
The accent mark on the 'ó' is essential because it tells us two things: first, that the emphasis (stress) falls on the last syllable, and second, that it is specifically the simple past tense (preterite) for 'he,' 'she,' or 'usted.' Without the accent ('salvo'), it means 'I save' (present tense).
Is 'salvó' used for saving computer files?
Yes, absolutely! While 'guardó' (he/she stored) is also used, 'salvó' is a very common and correct way to say 'he/she saved the document' in a digital context.