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Conjugation Chart

“Atreverse” (to dare) in the Preterite (Past) Tense

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Understanding the Preterite (Past) Tense of “Atreverse”

The preterite of atreverse is used to express a specific instance of daring to do something in the past, for example Me atreví a hablar en público (I dared to speak in public). This reflexive verb emphasizes the completed action of taking courage at a particular moment.

This is a regular -er verb used reflexively, requiring the appropriate reflexive pronoun with each conjugation. The verb itself follows the standard preterite pattern.

How to Use Atreverse in the Preterite (Past) Tense

The preterite of atreverse indicates a completed action of daring or having the courage to do something in the past.

To dare/venture: Describes having the courage to do something, for example Me atreví a hablar en público (I dared to speak in public) or Se atrevió a decir la verdad (He/she dared to tell the truth).

To be bold enough: Used for taking bold actions, for example Se atrevió a comenzar su propio negocio (He/she was bold enough to start their own business).

Real Life Examples of Atreverse in the Preterite (Past) Tense

Me atreví a saltar en paracaídas. (I dared to go skydiving.)

Te atreviste a hablar en público. (You dared to speak in public.)

El estudiante se atrevió a cuestionar al profesor. (The student dared to question the professor.)

Nos atrevimos a empezar un negocio. (We dared to start a business.)

Los actores se atrevieron a improvisar. (The actors dared to improvise.)

Me atreví a cambiar de carrera. (I dared to change careers.)

Te atreviste a decir la verdad. (You dared to tell the truth.)

La artista se atrevió a experimentar. (The artist dared to experiment.)

Nos atrevimos a viajar sin reservas. (We dared to travel without reservations.)

Los científicos se atrevieron a probar algo nuevo. (The scientists dared to try something new.)

Me atreví a confrontar mis miedos. (I dared to confront my fears.)

Te atreviste a defender tus ideales. (You dared to defend your ideals.)

El atleta se atrevió a romper el récord. (The athlete dared to break the record.)

Nos atrevimos a soñar en grande. (We dared to dream big.)

Los jóvenes se atrevieron a ser diferentes. (The young people dared to be different.)

Conjugation Chart with English Translations

Conjugations of Atreverse (to dare) in the Preterite (Past) 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.