The preterite of bailar is used to express a specific instance of dancing in the past. For example, you might say “We danced at the wedding last night,” indicating a completed dance activity at a particular time.

This is a regular -ar verb that follows the standard preterite conjugation pattern. The conjugations are straightforward and predictable, making it easy to learn and use.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Bailar (to dance) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

The preterite of bailar describes a completed instance of dancing in the past.

To dance: Indicates engaging in dance, for example, Bailé toda la noche en la fiesta (I danced all night at the party).

To perform: Used for dance performances, for example, Bailaron un tango en la competencia (They performed a tango in the competition).

To move rhythmically: Describes moving to music, for example, Bailó al ritmo de la música (He/she danced to the rhythm of the music).

Examples

Examples of Bailar in the Preterite (Past) Tense

Bailé toda la noche en la fiesta. (I danced all night at the party.)

¿Bailaste con tu pareja en la boda? (Did you dance with your partner at the wedding?)

Ella bailó el tango perfectamente. (She danced the tango perfectly.)

Bailamos hasta el amanecer. (We danced until dawn.)

Los novios bailaron el vals. (The newlyweds danced the waltz.)

Bailé salsa por primera vez. (I danced salsa for the first time.)

¿Por qué no bailaste en la celebración? (Why didn’t you dance at the celebration?)

El grupo bailó en la plaza. (The group danced in the square.)

Bailamos bajo la lluvia. (We danced in the rain.)

Los estudiantes bailaron en el festival. (The students danced at the festival.)

Bailé con mi mejor amiga. (I danced with my best friend.)

La pareja bailó muy románticamente. (The couple danced very romantically.)

Bailamos al ritmo de la música. (We danced to the rhythm of the music.)

Los niños bailaron de alegría. (The children danced with joy.)

Mi hermana bailó en la competencia. (My sister danced in the competition.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Bailar (to dance) 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.