There are two types of irregular preterite verbs in Spanish.

Today, I will share with you a full list of irregular preterit verbs (which you can download in PDF format below) and some tips to learn them fast.

Let’s dive right in!

Would you rather have this list of Spanish irregular preterite verbs in PDF format? Download a printable version below. 

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Irregular Preterite Verbs

The irregularities that irregular preterite verbs have can be divided into two categories.

Here’s the first one…

1. All verbs that have an irregular stem (root) in the preterite have the same ending as the verb estar (to be). Look!

– estuve
– estuviste
– estuvo
– estuvimos
– estuvisteis
– estuvieron

Can you notice that the verbs below have the same endings as the verb estar?

At the same time, they all have different roots. The roots are highlighted in blue.

irregular spanish verbs in the preterite past tense

Here’s a list of irregular preterite verbs that have irregular stems, but share the same endings as estar!

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Out of the list of verbs below, which have this irregularity?

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  • tener -> tuv
  • haber -> hub
  • venir -> vin
  • hacer -> hic
  • poder -> pud
  • querer -> quis
  • saber -> sup
  • decir -> dij
  • poner -> pus
  • componer -> compus
  • obtener -> obtuv

Organizing verbs can help you memorize their correct conjugations!

Let’s move on to the second category of irregular preterite verbs in Spanish…

2. When conjugated, some irregular preterite verbs that end in -ir, change e to i and o to u in the third person singular (él, ella, usted) and the third person plural (ellos, ellas, ustedes) of the preterite. Look!

spanish verbs past tense

Some more irregular preterite verbs that change e to i and o to u are…

  • preferir (prefer)
  • mentir (lie)
  • seguir (follow)
  • sonreír (smile)
  • repetir (repeat)
  • teñir (dye)
  • elegir (choose)
  • morir (die)
  • dormir (sleep)
  • reñir (quarrel)
  • medir (measure)

Out of the 20 Spanish verbs below, which have this irregularity?

The simple fact of paying attention to these details will help you memorize their correct conjugation.

Grab some of the verbs above and create example sentences that are meaningful for you. 

An example I would create would be….

● Ayer almorcé pollo y vegetales. 

The example above is meaningful for me because it is true. Yesterday, I had chicken and veggies for lunch.

Creating examples you can relate to will help you learn by heart the different verb forms of irregular preterite verbs.

I created a set of flashcards that includes the conjugations of the 20 irregular preterite Spanish verbs above.

Each flashcard looks like this…

ser past conjugation
DOWNLOAD CARDS

Look at these flashcards. Let some time pass, maybe a few days. Then, re-visit these flashcards again.

Spaced repetition is an effective way to learn vocabulary.

Some people memorize stuff by listening. 

Use my video to memorize the different verb forms of Spanish verbs in the preterite past tense.

Irregular Preterite Verb List

Here are common irregular preterite verbs in Spanish along with their conjugation.

irregular preterite verbs spanish

You will notice six verb forms, belonging respectively to the following persons: (1) yo; (2) tu and vos; (3) él, ella, usted; (4) nosotros, nosotras; (5) vosotros, vosotras; (6) ellos, ellas and ustedes. 

1. ser (to be) / ir (to go)

Ser and ir have the same conjugation forms in the preterite past tense.

– fui
– fuiste
– fue
– fuimos
– fuisteis
– fueron

2. estar (to be)

– estuve
– estuviste
– estuvo
– estuvimos
– estuvisteis
– estuvieron

3. tener (to have)

– tuve
– tuviste
– tuvo
– tuvimos
– tuvisteis
– tuvieron

4. poder (to be able to)

– pude
– pudiste
– pudo
– pudimos
– pudisteis
– pudieron

5. querer (to want)

– quise
– quisiste
– quiso
– quisimos
– quisisteis
– quisieron

6. decir (to say)

– dije
– dijiste
– dijo
– dijimos
– dijisteis
– dijeron

7. mentir (to lie)

– mentí
– mentiste
– mintió
– mentimos
– mentisteis
– mintieron

8. preferir (to prefer)

– preferí
– preferiste
– prefirió
– preferimos
– preferisteis
– prefirieron

9. repetir (to repeat)

– repetí
– repetiste
– repitió
– repetimos
– repetisteis
– repitieron

10. vestirse (to get dressed)

– me vestí
– te vestiste
– se vistió
– nos vestimos
– os vestisteis
– se vistieron

11. pedir (to ask for something)

– pedí
– pediste
– pidió
– pedimos
– pedisteis
– pidieron

12. sentir (to feel)

– sentí
– sentiste
– sintió
– sentimos
– sentisteis
– sintieron

13. dormir (to sleep)

– dormí
– dormiste
– durmió
– dormimos
– dormisteis
– durmieron

14. poner (to put)

– puse
– pusiste
– puso
– pusimos
– pusisteis
– pusieron

15. saber (to know)

– supe
– supiste
– supo
– supimos
– supisteis
– supieron

16. hacer (to do)

– hice
– hiciste
– hizo
– hicimos
– hicisteis
– hicieron

17. traer (to bring)

– traje
– trajiste
– trajo
– trajimos
– trajisteis
– trajeron

18. venir (to come)

– vine
– viniste
– vino
– vinimos
– vinisteis
– vinieron

19. conducir (to drive)

– conduje
– condujiste
– condujo
– condujimos
– condujisteis
– condujeron

20. andar (to walk, to go)

– anduve
– anduviste
– anduvo
– anduvimos
– anduvisteis
– anduvieron

21. haber (aux. to have)

– hube
– hubiste
– hubo
– hubimos
– hubisteis
– hubieron

22. obtener (to get)

– obtuve
– obtuviste
– obtuvo
– obtuvimos
– obtuvisteis
– obtuvieron

23. componer (to compose)

– compuse
– compusiste
– compuso
– compusimos
– compusimos
– compusimos

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