One group of irregular preterite verbs have a u as part of the stem of the verb. Four of the verbs in this group are estar (to be), tener (to have), poner (to put) and construir (to construct). The tables below shows how to form these verbs in the preterite tense.
estar (example sentences) (full conjugation)
| |
|
|
|
| yo |
estuve |
(I was) |
|
| tú |
estuviste |
(you were) |
|
| Ud./él/ella |
estuvo |
(you/he/she was) |
|
| nosotros |
estuvimos |
(we were) |
|
| vosotros |
estuvisteis |
(you guys were) |
|
| Uds./ellos/ ellas |
estuvieron |
(you all/they were) |
|
tener (example sentences) (full conjugation)
| |
|
|
|
| yo |
tuve |
(I had) |
|
| tú |
tuviste |
(you had) |
|
| Ud./él/ella |
tuvo |
(you/he/she had) |
|
| nosotros |
tuvimos |
(we had) |
|
| vosotros |
tuvisteis |
(you guys had) |
|
| Uds./ellos/ ellas |
tuvieron |
(you all/they had) |
|
poner (example sentences) (full conjugation)
| |
|
|
| yo |
puse |
(I put) |
| tú |
pusiste |
(you put) |
| Ud./él/ella |
puso |
(you/he/she put) |
| nosotros |
pusimos |
(we put) |
| vosotros |
pusisteis |
(you guys put) |
| Uds./ellos/ ellas |
pusieron |
(you all/they put) |
construir (example sentences) (full conjugation)
| yo |
construí |
(I built) |
| tú |
construiste |
(you built) |
| Ud./él/ella |
construyó |
(you/he/she built) |
| nosotros (as) |
construímos |
(we built) |
| vosotros (as) |
construisteis |
(you built) |
| Uds./ellos/ ellas |
construyeron |
(you all/they built) |
Other verbs follow the same pattern: andar (to walk) goes to (anduv), componer (to assemble), obtener (to obtain), poder (to be able) converts to (pud), and saber (to know) converts to (sup).
Note:
m = male f = female mix = mixed group
yo = I, tú = you (informal)
usted (Ud.) = you (formal)
él = he, ella = she
nosotros = we (m/mix), nosotras = we (f)
vosotros = you guys (informal, m/mix)
vosotras = you guys (informal, f)
ellos = they (m/mix), ellas = they (f)
ustedes (Uds.) = you all (formal)
