The preterite of descansar is used to express a specific period of rest in the past. For example, you might say “I rested for two hours yesterday,” indicating a completed period of relaxation.
This is a regular -ar verb that follows the standard preterite conjugation pattern. The endings are added directly to the stem ‘descans-‘ without any changes.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Descansar (to rest) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | descansé |
| Tú | descansaste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | descansó |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | descansamos |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | descansaron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Descansar (to rest) 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 Descansar in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The Preterite of descansar refers to a completed period of rest in the past.
To rest or relax: Describes taking a break or getting rest, for example Descansé todo el domingo (I rested all Sunday).
To take a break: Used for short periods of respite, for example Descansamos diez minutos después del ejercicio (We rested for ten minutes after the exercise).
Examples
Examples of Descansar in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Descansé todo el fin de semana. (I rested all weekend.)
¿Descansaste bien anoche? (Did you rest well last night?)
Ella descansó después del maratón. (She rested after the marathon.)
Descansamos en un hotel bonito. (We rested in a nice hotel.)
Los atletas descansaron antes de la competencia. (The athletes rested before the competition.)
Descansé durante las vacaciones. (I rested during the vacation.)
¿Por qué no descansaste ayer? (Why didn’t you rest yesterday?)
Mi abuelo descansó toda la tarde. (My grandfather rested all afternoon.)
Descansamos bajo un árbol. (We rested under a tree.)
Los niños descansaron después de jugar. (The children rested after playing.)
Descansé lo suficiente para recuperarme. (I rested enough to recover.)
¿Descansaste durante el viaje? (Did you rest during the trip?)
El equipo descansó entre partidos. (The team rested between games.)
Descansamos después de la mudanza. (We rested after moving.)
Los trabajadores descansaron al mediodía. (The workers rested at noon.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Descansar (to rest) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo descansé | I rested |
| Tú descansaste | You rested |
| Él / Ella / Usted descansó | He / She / You rested |
| Nosotros / Nosotras descansamos | We rested |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes descansaron | They / You all rested |
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.