The preterite of llevar is used to express a specific instance of carrying or taking something in the past. For example, you might say “I took the documents to the office,” indicating when you transported something.
This is a regular -ar verb that follows the standard preterite conjugation pattern. The endings are consistent and predictable, making it straightforward to learn and use.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Llevar (to carry/take) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | llevé |
| Tú | llevaste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | llevó |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | llevamos |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | llevaron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Llevar (to carry/take) 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 Llevar in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The Preterite of llevar describes completed actions of carrying or taking.
Carrying: Used for transporting items, for example llevé las maletas (I carried the suitcases).
Taking Someone: Describes accompanying others, for example llevamos a los niños al parque (we took the children to the park).
Examples
Examples of Llevar in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Llevé los libros a la biblioteca. (I took the books to the library.)
¿Llevaste paraguas ayer? (Did you carry an umbrella yesterday?)
Ella llevó a los niños al parque. (She took the children to the park.)
Llevamos comida para el picnic. (We carried food for the picnic.)
Los mensajeros llevaron los paquetes a tiempo. (The couriers delivered the packages on time.)
Llevé mi coche al mecánico. (I took my car to the mechanic.)
¿Llevaste tu computadora al trabajo? (Did you take your computer to work?)
El mesero llevó los platos a la mesa. (The waiter carried the plates to the table.)
Llevamos regalos a la fiesta. (We took gifts to the party.)
Los estudiantes llevaron sus proyectos a clase. (The students took their projects to class.)
Llevé a mi mascota al veterinario. (I took my pet to the vet.)
¿Llevaste las llaves contigo? (Did you take the keys with you?)
El guía llevó al grupo por el museo. (The guide took the group through the museum.)
Llevamos flores al cementerio. (We took flowers to the cemetery.)
Los bomberos llevaron el equipo al sitio. (The firefighters carried the equipment to the site.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Llevar (to carry/take) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo llevé | I carried |
| Tú llevaste | You carried |
| Él / Ella / Usted llevó | He / She / You carried |
| Nosotros / Nosotras llevamos | We carried |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes llevaron | They / You all carried |
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.