The preterite of derretir is used to express when something melted at a specific moment in the past. For example, “The ice cream melted in the sun” – “El helado se derritió en el sol.”
This verb follows the e to i stem-changing pattern in the preterite, but only in the third person forms (derritió, derritieron). The other forms maintain the regular stem.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Derretir (to melt) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | derretí |
| Tú | derretiste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | derritió |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | derretimos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | derretisteis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | derritieron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Derretir (to melt) 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 Derretir in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The Preterite of derretir expresses completed instances of melting or dissolving.
To melt (completed action): Describes when something completely melted, for example El sol derritió la nieve (The sun melted the snow), or Se derritió el helado (The ice cream melted).
To dissolve/break down: Used figuratively for things that dissolve or break down, for example Se derritieron sus esperanzas (Their hopes melted away).
Examples
Examples of Derretir in the Preterite (Past) Tense
El sol derritió el helado rápidamente. (The sun melted the ice cream quickly.)
Derretí el chocolate para hacer el pastel. (I melted the chocolate to make the cake.)
La nieve se derritió al mediodía. (The snow melted at noon.)
Derretimos el queso para la pizza. (We melted the cheese for the pizza.)
El calor derritió la mantequilla. (The heat melted the butter.)
Derretiste todo el hielo en la bebida. (You melted all the ice in the drink.)
Se derritieron las velas durante el apagón. (The candles melted during the blackout.)
El fuego derritió el plástico. (The fire melted the plastic.)
Derretí la cera para hacer velas nuevas. (I melted the wax to make new candles.)
El sol derritió la nieve en las montañas. (The sun melted the snow in the mountains.)
Derretimos el metal en el horno. (We melted the metal in the furnace.)
Se derritió el helado antes de comerlo. (The ice cream melted before eating it.)
Derritieron el oro para hacer joyas. (They melted the gold to make jewelry.)
El caramelo se derritió en mi boca. (The candy melted in my mouth.)
Derretiste el hielo con agua caliente. (You melted the ice with hot water.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Derretir (to melt) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo derretí | I melted |
| Tú derretiste | You melted |
| Él / Ella / Usted derritió | He / She / You (formal) melted |
| Nosotros / Nosotras derretimos | We melted |
| Vosotros / Vosotras derretisteis | You all melted |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes derritieron | They / You all (formal) melted |
This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American 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.