Inklingo

How to Say "i sent" in Spanish

English → Spanish

envié

en-vee-EH/emˈbje/

VerbA1General
Use 'envié' when you want to express a completed action of sending something, often in a general or formal context.
A stylized illustration of a person standing on a small hill, having just released a bright red package. The package is soaring away from the figure into the blue sky, emphasizing the action of sending.

Examples

Ayer envié el paquete por correo urgente.

Yesterday I sent the package by express mail.

Te envié un mensaje hace una hora, ¿lo recibiste?

I sent you a message an hour ago, did you receive it?

Envié mi currículum a diez empresas diferentes la semana pasada.

I sent my resume to ten different companies last week.

Action Completed in the Past

This form ('I sent') is the simple past tense (Preterite) and is used for actions that started and finished at a specific point in the past, like 'last night' or 'three years ago'.

The Crucial Accent Mark

The accent on the 'é' is mandatory! It tells you where to put the stress when speaking, making sure you pronounce it as 'en-vi-EH' and not 'EN-vi-e'.

Missing the Accent

Mistake: “Yo envie el dinero.”

Correction: Yo envié el dinero.

mandé

/man-DEH//manˈde/

VerbA2General
Choose 'mandé' when the focus is on the act of dispatching or mailing something, often implying a more direct or personal action.
A human hand placing a white sealed letter into the slot of a bright red cylindrical mailbox, symbolizing the action of sending mail.

Examples

Mandé el paquete ayer por la mañana.

I sent the package yesterday morning.

Yo mandé la solicitud a la universidad.

I sent the application to the university.

Preterite Tense

'Mandé' is the simple past (preterite) form for 'I'. It describes a single, completed action in the past, like 'I sent it yesterday'.

Confusing Preterite and Imperfect

Mistake: “Using 'mandaba' (imperfect) when referring to a single, finished action.”

Correction: Use 'mandé' for a specific past event ('I sent the email'). Use 'mandaba' for habitual or ongoing past actions ('I used to send letters').

Envié vs. Mandé

Learners often confuse 'envié' and 'mandé' because both mean 'I sent'. Remember that 'envié' is more general for completed sending, while 'mandé' emphasizes the act of dispatching or mailing.

Related Translations

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