The preterite of permitir is used to express when permission was given in the past. For example, you might say “The teacher allowed us to leave early,” indicating a specific instance when permission was granted.
This is a regular -ir verb that follows the standard preterite conjugation pattern. The conjugations are predictable and follow regular rules.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Permitir (to allow) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | permití |
| Tú | permitiste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | permitió |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | permitimos |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | permitieron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Permitir (to allow) 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 Permitir in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The preterite of permitir expresses a completed action of allowing or permitting in the past.
To allow/permit: Describes giving permission, for example Me permitieron salir temprano (They allowed me to leave early) or El jefe no permitió la reunión (The boss didn’t permit the meeting).
To enable/make possible: Used for enabling situations, for example El buen tiempo permitió el evento (The good weather made the event possible).
Examples
Examples of Permitir in the Preterite (Past) Tense
No le permití salir tarde. (I didn’t allow him to go out late.)
¿Le permitiste usar tu computadora? (Did you allow him to use your computer?)
El profesor permitió el uso de calculadoras. (The teacher allowed the use of calculators.)
Les permitimos quedarse hasta tarde. (We allowed them to stay late.)
Los padres no les permitieron ir a la fiesta. (The parents didn’t allow them to go to the party.)
Le permití tomar mi auto prestado. (I allowed him to borrow my car.)
¿Por qué le permitiste hacer eso? (Why did you allow him to do that?)
La escuela no permitió el uso de celulares. (The school didn’t allow the use of cell phones.)
Les permitimos jugar en el jardín. (We allowed them to play in the garden.)
No me permitieron entrar sin identificación. (They didn’t allow me to enter without ID.)
Le permití faltar a clase. (I allowed him to miss class.)
¿Le permitiste salir temprano? (Did you allow him to leave early?)
El doctor le permitió hacer ejercicio. (The doctor allowed him to exercise.)
Les permitimos ver televisión. (We allowed them to watch TV.)
Los guardias no permitieron el paso. (The guards didn’t allow passage.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Permitir (to allow) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo permití | I allowed |
| Tú permitiste | You allowed |
| Él / Ella / Usted permitió | He / She / You allowed |
| Nosotros / Nosotras permitimos | We allowed |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes permitieron | They / You all allowed |
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.