The preterite of alcanzar is used to express a specific instance of reaching or catching up to something in the past, for example Alcancé el último tren de la noche (I caught the last train of the night). This tense emphasizes the completed action of reaching at a particular moment.
This verb requires a spelling change in the first person singular, where ‘z’ changes to ‘c’ before ‘é’ to maintain the same sound. Otherwise, it follows the regular -ar verb pattern in the preterite.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Alcanzar (to reach/catch up) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | alcancé |
Tú | alcanzaste |
Él / Ella / Usted | alcanzó |
Nosotros / Nosotras | alcanzamos |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | alcanzaron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Alcanzar (to reach/catch up) 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 Alcanzar in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The preterite of alcanzar indicates a completed action of reaching or achieving in the past.
To reach/catch up: Describes physically or metaphorically reaching something, for example Alcancé el último tren (I caught the last train) or Alcanzaron la meta propuesta (They reached their proposed goal).
To achieve/attain: Used for accomplishing goals, for example Alcanzó el éxito que buscaba (He/she achieved the success they were looking for).
Examples
Examples of Alcanzar in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Alcancé la meta que me propuse. (I reached the goal I set for myself.)
Alcanzaste el tren justo a tiempo. (You caught up with the train just in time.)
El atleta alcanzó un nuevo récord. (The athlete reached a new record.)
Alcanzamos la cima de la montaña. (We reached the mountain peak.)
Los corredores alcanzaron la línea final. (The runners reached the finish line.)
Alcancé el último libro en el estante. (I reached the last book on the shelf.)
Alcanzaste el nivel máximo. (You reached the maximum level.)
El proyecto alcanzó sus objetivos. (The project reached its objectives.)
Alcanzamos un acuerdo importante. (We reached an important agreement.)
Las ventas alcanzaron cifras récord. (Sales reached record figures.)
Alcancé al grupo después de correr. (I caught up with the group after running.)
Alcanzaste tu sueño profesional. (You reached your professional dream.)
La empresa alcanzó el éxito esperado. (The company reached the expected success.)
Alcanzamos la costa antes del anochecer. (We reached the coast before nightfall.)
Los estudiantes alcanzaron excelentes resultados. (The students achieved excellent results.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Alcanzar (to reach/catch up) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
Spanish | English |
---|---|
Yo alcancé | I reached |
Tú alcanzaste | You reached |
Él / Ella / Usted alcanzó | He / She / You reached |
Nosotros / Nosotras alcanzamos | We reached |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes alcanzaron | They / You all reached |
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.