Conjugate irregular -er verbs in El Pretérito Indefinido: caber, saber (simple past)

Ana Matilla
2021-04-26
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Saber and caber are irregular in El Pretérito Indefinido but both follow the same pattern:

  saber (to know)   caber (to fit)
yo supe cupe
tú supiste cupiste
él / ella / Ud. supo cupo
nosotros / nosotras  supimos cupimos
vosotros / vosotras   supisteis cupisteis
ellos / ellas / Uds.   supieron cupieron

Here are some examples to read and listen to:

No supe que decir.I didn't know what to say.

Tú no supiste la verdad hasta dos años después.You did not learn the truth until two years later.

La maleta no cupo en el coche.The suitcase did not fit in the car.

Nosotros cupimos bien en el avión.We fitted in the plane comfortably.

Vosotras supisteis los resultados muy pronto.You knew the results really early.

Los muebles cupieron en la casa.The furniture fitted in the house.

¿Ustedes no cupieron en esa sala tan pequeña?Did you not fit in that very small room?

Caber and saber belong to a group of verbs that all have an irregular stem but share the same set of endings. To learn more about this have a look at Irregulares en Indefinido/mismas terminaciones.

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Examples and resources

Vosotras supisteis los resultados muy pronto.You knew the results really early.
No supe que decir.I didn't know what to say.
¿Ustedes no cupieron en esa sala tan pequeña?Did you not fit in that very small room?
La maleta no cupo en el coche.The suitcase did not fit in the car.
Tú no supiste la verdad hasta dos años después.You did not learn the truth until two years later.
Los muebles cupieron en la casa.The furniture fitted in the house.
Nosotros cupimos bien en el avión.We fitted in the plane comfortably.
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