The preterite of acercarse is used to express a specific instance of getting closer to something or someone in the past, for example Me acerqué a la ventana para ver mejor (I got closer to the window to see better). This reflexive verb emphasizes the completed action at a particular moment.
This is a regular -ar verb used reflexively, with a spelling change in the first person singular (acerqué) to maintain the hard ‘k’ sound before ‘e’. Remember to match the reflexive pronoun with the subject.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Acercarse (to get closer) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | me acerqué |
| Tú | te acercaste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | se acercó |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | nos acercamos |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | se acercaron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Acercarse (to get closer) 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 Acercarse in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The preterite of acercarse indicates a completed action of approaching or coming closer in the past.
To approach/come closer: Describes physical movement toward something or someone, for example Me acerqué a la ventana (I approached the window) or Se acercó para saludar (He/she came closer to say hello).
To draw near: Used for temporal proximity, for example Se acercó la hora de partir (The time to leave drew near).
Examples
Examples of Acercarse in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Me acerqué a la ventana para ver mejor. (I got closer to the window to see better.)
Te acercaste al escenario durante el concierto. (You got closer to the stage during the concert.)
El gato se acercó sigilosamente a su comida. (The cat got closer stealthily to its food.)
Nos acercamos a la meta final. (We got closer to the final goal.)
Los turistas se acercaron al monumento. (The tourists got closer to the monument.)
Me acerqué al mostrador para preguntar. (I got closer to the counter to ask.)
Te acercaste demasiado al borde. (You got too close to the edge.)
El barco se acercó al puerto. (The ship got closer to the port.)
Nos acercamos para escuchar mejor. (We got closer to hear better.)
Los niños se acercaron al payaso. (The children got closer to the clown.)
Me acerqué a la familia durante las fiestas. (I got closer to the family during the holidays.)
Te acercaste al problema con calma. (You approached the problem calmly.)
El avión se acercó a su destino. (The plane got closer to its destination.)
Nos acercamos al final del proyecto. (We got closer to the end of the project.)
Los competidores se acercaron a la línea de meta. (The competitors got closer to the finish line.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Acercarse (to get closer) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo me acerqué | I got closer |
| Tú te acercaste | You got closer |
| Él / Ella / Usted se acercó | He / She / You got closer |
| Nosotros / Nosotras nos acercamos | We got closer |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes se acercaron | They / You all got closer |
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.