Some verbs in the preterite indefinido have tildes and some don't. Is there a rule for when they are used or not used, as i'm finding it difficult to remember when to use them?
Distribuir, construir, destruir and huir, are irregular in El Pretérito Indefinido, but they all follow the same pattern, replacing the last two letters of the infinitive with:
| yo | -í |
| tú | -iste |
| él / ella / Ud. | -yó |
| nosotros / nosotras | -imos |
| vosotros / vosotras | -isteis |
| ellos / ellas / Uds. | -yeron |
Here are some examples to look at and listen to:
Yo huí del peligro.
I ran away from the danger.
Tú construiste castillos en la arena.
You built castles in the sand.
Ángeles distribuyó las bebidas a los corredores.
Ángeles handed out drinks to the runners.
Nosotros destruimos la información.
We destroyed the information.
Vosotros distribuisteis la propaganda.
You distributed the propaganda.
Los ingenieros construyeron un puente.
The engineers built a bridge.
Verbs that follow this pattern are
- distribuir (to distribute)
- construir (to build)
- destruir (to destroy)
- huir (to run away)
- disminuir (to reduce)
See also: List of Spanish Irregular -uir verbs (i > y) in the present and past tenses.
Learn more about these related Spanish grammar topics
Examples and resources
Tú construiste castillos en la arena.
You built castles in the sand.
Nosotros destruimos la información.
We destroyed the information.
Vosotros distribuisteis la propaganda.
You distributed the propaganda.
Yo huí del peligro.
I ran away from the danger.
Los ingenieros construyeron un puente.
The engineers built a bridge.
Ángeles distribuyó las bebidas a los corredores.
Ángeles handed out drinks to the runners.
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Clare asked:View original
Tildes in the preterite indefinido
Some verbs in the preterite indefinido have tildes and some don't. Is there a rule for when they are used or not used, as i'm finding it difficult to remember when to use them?
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