The preterite of conducir is used to express a specific instance of driving in the past. For example, you might say “I drove to the beach last weekend,” indicating a completed journey.
This is an irregular verb in the preterite tense. The stem changes to ‘conduj-‘ before adding the endings, making it one of the special verbs you’ll need to memorize separately.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Conducir (to drive) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | conduje |
| Tú | condujiste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | condujo |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | condujimos |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | condujeron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Conducir (to drive) 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 Conducir in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The Preterite of conducir indicates completed actions of driving or conducting.
Driving: Used for operating vehicles, for example conduje hasta la playa (I drove to the beach).
Leading/Guiding: Describes directing or leading, for example condujo el proyecto (she led the project).
Examples
Examples of Conducir in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Conduje toda la noche. (I drove all night.)
¿Condujiste hasta la playa? (Did you drive to the beach?)
Él condujo con mucho cuidado en la lluvia. (He drove very carefully in the rain.)
Condujimos por la carretera costera. (We drove along the coastal highway.)
Los turistas condujeron por el desierto. (The tourists drove through the desert.)
Conduje al aeropuerto esta mañana. (I drove to the airport this morning.)
¿Por qué condujiste tan rápido? (Why did you drive so fast?)
Mi padre condujo el camión de mudanza. (My father drove the moving truck.)
Condujimos durante seis horas seguidas. (We drove for six straight hours.)
Los conductores condujeron con precaución. (The drivers drove with caution.)
Conduje hasta el supermercado. (I drove to the supermarket.)
¿Condujiste el auto nuevo? (Did you drive the new car?)
La instructora condujo durante la prueba. (The instructor drove during the test.)
Condujimos hasta la montaña. (We drove to the mountain.)
Los estudiantes condujeron al campus. (The students drove to campus.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Conducir (to drive) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo conduje | I drove |
| Tú condujiste | You drove |
| Él / Ella / Usted condujo | He / She / You drove |
| Nosotros / Nosotras condujimos | We drove |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes condujeron | They / You all drove |
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.