The preterite of proponer is used to express a specific instance of proposing something in the past, for example Me propuso matrimonio ayer (He proposed marriage to me yesterday). This tense emphasizes the completed action of proposing at a particular moment.

This is an irregular verb that follows the same pattern as ‘poner’ in the preterite. The stem changes to ‘propus-‘ throughout most of its conjugation, creating a distinct pattern that must be memorized.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Proponer (to propose) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

The preterite of proponer describes a completed action of proposing or suggesting in the past.

To propose/suggest: Describes making a suggestion or proposal, for example Propuse una solución (I proposed a solution) or Propusieron un nuevo plan (They proposed a new plan).

To set forth: Used for presenting ideas or plans, for example Propuso sus ideas en la reunión (He/she set forth their ideas in the meeting).

To propose marriage: Used in romantic context, for example Le propuso matrimonio en París (He/she proposed marriage to them in Paris).

Examples

Examples of Proponer in the Preterite (Past) Tense

Propuse una solución al problema. (I proposed a solution to the problem.)

Propusiste un cambio importante. (You proposed an important change.)

El director propuso nuevas ideas. (The director proposed new ideas.)

Propusimos una fecha para la reunión. (We proposed a date for the meeting.)

Los estudiantes propusieron actividades diferentes. (The students proposed different activities.)

Propuse un plan alternativo. (I proposed an alternative plan.)

Propusiste un viaje grupal. (You proposed a group trip.)

La empresa propuso mejores condiciones. (The company proposed better conditions.)

Propusimos cambios al proyecto. (We proposed changes to the project.)

Los arquitectos propusieron un diseño innovador. (The architects proposed an innovative design.)

Propuse una cena romántica. (I proposed a romantic dinner.)

Propusiste una solución creativa. (You proposed a creative solution.)

El comité propuso nuevas regulaciones. (The committee proposed new regulations.)

Propusimos una estrategia diferente. (We proposed a different strategy.)

Los expertos propusieron medidas preventivas. (The experts proposed preventive measures.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Proponer (to propose) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

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.