salí
sah-LEE
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Salí del trabajo muy tarde anoche.
A1I left work very late last night.
Salí a correr antes de que lloviera.
A2I went out to run before it rained.
Cuando vi la oportunidad, salí corriendo.
B1When I saw the opportunity, I ran out (literally: I left running).
💡 Grammar Points
Action Completed in the Past
'Salí' is the simple past tense (Preterite), used for actions that started and finished at a specific time, like 'I left yesterday' or 'I went out once.'
Use of 'de'
When saying you left a place, Spanish requires the preposition 'de' (of/from): 'Salí de la oficina.' (I left the office).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing Present and Past 'Yo' Forms
Mistake: "Using *salgué* instead of *salí* in the past tense."
Correction: The verb *salir* is irregular in the present tense ('yo salgo'), but it is regular in the simple past tense ('yo salí'), following the normal pattern for '-ir' verbs.
⭐ Usage Tips
Expressing Social Outings
Use 'salí con' to mean 'I dated' or 'I went out socially with': 'Salí con Juan el sábado pasado' (I went out/dated Juan last Saturday).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: salí
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'salí' to describe a completed action?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
If 'salí' means 'I left,' how do I say 'I was leaving'?
To express an ongoing or habitual action in the past ('I was leaving' or 'I used to leave'), you would use the Imperfect tense: 'Yo salía.' This tense describes the setting or routine, not a single finished event.
Why is the present tense 'yo salgo' (with a 'g') but the past tense is 'yo salí' (no 'g')?
That's a great observation! The verb *salir* is irregular in the present tense 'yo' form, adding a 'g' ('salgo'). However, in the simple past tense ('salí'), it follows the regular pattern for '-ir' verbs, which is why it looks simpler. Don't worry about the logic, just remember the pattern!