The preterite of cantar is used to express a completed action of singing in the past. For example, you might say “I sang at the concert last night,” indicating a specific performance that has concluded.
This is a regular -ar verb that follows the standard preterite conjugation pattern. Its conjugations are straightforward and predictable, making it easy to learn and use.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Cantar (to sing) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | canté |
| Tú | cantaste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | cantó |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | cantamos |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | cantaron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Cantar (to sing) in the Preterite (Past) Tense to help you learn faster.
Pro Tip: Play the audio on a loop as you study the chart. This repetition will solidify the correct conjugations in your memory.
Usage of Cantar in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The preterite of cantar describes completed singing actions. Performance: Indicates a specific instance of singing, for example, cantó en el concierto anoche (he/she sang at the concert last night). Expression: Used for expressing oneself through song, for example, cantaron el himno nacional (they sang the national anthem). Revelation: In slang can mean to confess or reveal information, for example, cantó toda la verdad (he/she spilled all the truth).
Examples
Examples of Cantar in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Canté en el coro de la escuela. (I sang in the school choir.)
La artista cantó su nueva canción. (The artist sang her new song.)
¿Cantaste en el karaoke anoche? (Did you sing at karaoke last night?)
Cantamos juntos en la fiesta. (We sang together at the party.)
Los niños cantaron villancicos. (The children sang Christmas carols.)
El pájaro cantó al amanecer. (The bird sang at dawn.)
Canté durante todo el viaje. (I sang during the entire trip.)
¿Por qué no cantaste con nosotros? (Why didn’t you sing with us?)
La banda cantó sus mejores éxitos. (The band sang their greatest hits.)
Cantamos por tres horas seguidas. (We sang for three hours straight.)
Los fans cantaron todas las canciones. (The fans sang all the songs.)
Mi hermana cantó en su graduación. (My sister sang at her graduation.)
Canté hasta quedarme sin voz. (I sang until I lost my voice.)
El coro cantó magnificamente. (The choir sang magnificently.)
Cantamos alrededor de la fogata. (We sang around the campfire.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Cantar (to sing) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo canté | I sang |
| Tú cantaste | You sang |
| Él / Ella / Usted cantó | He / She / You sang |
| Nosotros / Nosotras cantamos | We sang |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes cantaron | They / You all sang |
This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here
Synonyms
The Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Past Simple, Definite Past, Absolute Past, or Past Tense Indicative in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Simple, Pasado Simple, or Pretérito de Indicativo in Spanish.