Conjugate -cir verbs in El Pretérito Indefinido

Silvia Piriz
2020-07-04
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In Spanish, the -c- changes to a -j- in El Pretérito Indefinido for verbs that end in -cir that are preceded by a vowel. This affects all subjects. Have a look at the verb introducir (to introduce) in El Pretérito Indefinido.

Vowel -CIR verb 

INTRODUCIR
(to introduce)

yo

introduje

tú

introdujiste

él / ella/usted

introdujo

nosotros/nosotras

introdujimos

vosotros/vosotras

introdujisteis

ellos/ellas/ustedes

introdujeron
It is also important to note that the ending for the ellos conjugation is -eron, not -ieron as in regular -ir verbs in El Pretérito Indefinido (ellos abrieron, ellos vivieron...).

Other verbs with vowel + -cir that follow the same pattern are:

  • producir (to produce)
  • traducir (to translate)
  • conducir (to drive)
  • reproducir (to reproduce)
  • seducir (to seduce)
  • ...

Yo traduje un documento para el Registro Civil.I translated a document for the Registry Office.

Tú condujiste demasiado rápido por la autopista.You drove too fast on the motorway.

Luisa produjo un vino excelente en su viñedo.Luisa produced an excellent wine in her vineyard.

Nosotros introdujimos las papeletas en la urna.We put [lit: introduced] the ballots in the ballot box.

Tus padres y tú dedujisteis el problema matemático.Your parents and you deduced the maths problem.

Las chicas sedujeron al público con sus canciones.The girls seduced the public with their songs.

If the ending -cir is preceded by a consonant, then -c- does not change into -j-.

Yo esparcí los restos de chocolate por la mesa.I scattered the leftover chocolate across the table.

Ana zurció sus calcetines.Ana darned her socks.

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Examples and resources

Tus padres y tú dedujisteis el problema matemático.Your parents and you deduced the maths problem.
Nosotros introdujimos las papeletas en la urna.We put [lit: introduced] the ballots in the ballot box.
Luisa produjo un vino excelente en su viñedo.Luisa produced an excellent wine in her vineyard.
Yo esparcí los restos de chocolate por la mesa.I scattered the leftover chocolate across the table.
Tú condujiste demasiado rápido por la autopista.You drove too fast on the motorway.
Ana zurció sus calcetines.Ana darned her socks.
Yo traduje un documento para el Registro Civil.I translated a document for the Registry Office.
Las chicas sedujeron al público con sus canciones.The girls seduced the public with their songs.
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