The preterite of intentar is used to express when you tried to do something at a specific moment in the past. For example, “We tried to solve the problem last week” – “Intentamos resolver el problema la semana pasada.”
This is a regular -ar verb that follows the standard preterite conjugation pattern. All forms are predictable and follow the regular endings for -ar verbs in the preterite tense.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Intentar (to try) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | intenté |
| Tú | intentaste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | intentó |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | intentamos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | intentasteis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | intentaron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Intentar (to try) 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 Intentar in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The Preterite of intentar indicates specific attempts or tries.
To try/attempt: Describes making a specific attempt, for example Intenté llamarte ayer (I tried to call you yesterday), or Intentaron abrir la puerta (They tried to open the door).
To make an effort: Used for conscious attempts to achieve something, for example Lo intenté tres veces (I tried it three times).
Examples
Examples of Intentar in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Intenté llamarte varias veces ayer. (I tried to call you several times yesterday.)
¿Intentaste resolver el problema? (Did you try to solve the problem?)
El equipo intentó ganar hasta el último minuto. (The team tried to win until the last minute.)
Intentamos contactar al servicio técnico. (We tried to contact technical support.)
Los científicos intentaron encontrar una cura. (The scientists tried to find a cure.)
Intentaste hacer demasiado en poco tiempo. (You tried to do too much in little time.)
El profesor intentó explicarlo de otra manera. (The teacher tried to explain it another way.)
Intenté aprender a tocar guitarra. (I tried to learn to play guitar.)
Los actores intentaron improvisar la escena. (The actors tried to improvise the scene.)
Intentamos llegar a tiempo a la reunión. (We tried to arrive on time to the meeting.)
¿Por qué no intentaste una vez más? (Why didn’t you try one more time?)
El estudiante intentó aprobar el examen. (The student tried to pass the exam.)
Intentamos advertirle del peligro. (We tried to warn him of the danger.)
La empresa intentó expandirse al extranjero. (The company tried to expand abroad.)
Intenté mantener la calma durante la crisis. (I tried to stay calm during the crisis.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Intentar (to try) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo intenté | I tried |
| Tú intentaste | You tried |
| Él / Ella / Usted intentó | He / She / You (formal) tried |
| Nosotros / Nosotras intentamos | We tried |
| Vosotros / Vosotras intentasteis | You all tried |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes intentaron | They / You all (formal) tried |
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.