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Conjugation Chart

“Llorar” (to cry) in the Preterite (Past) Tense

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Understanding the Preterite (Past) Tense of “Llorar”

The preterite of llorar is used to express a specific instance of crying in the past. For example, you might say “I cried when I saw the movie ending,” indicating a particular moment of emotional expression.

This is a regular -ar verb that follows the standard preterite conjugation pattern. The ‘ll’ sound remains constant throughout all conjugations.

How to Use Llorar in the Preterite (Past) Tense

The preterite of llorar expresses a completed action of crying or weeping in the past.

To cry/weep: Describes shedding tears, for example Lloré cuando vi la película (I cried when I watched the movie) or Lloró de alegría (He/she cried with joy).

To mourn/lament: Used for expressing deep sadness, for example Lloró la pérdida de su amigo (He/she mourned the loss of their friend).

Real Life Examples of Llorar in the Preterite (Past) Tense

Lloré de alegría en tu graduación. (I cried with joy at your graduation.)

Lloraste al ver la película triste. (You cried watching the sad movie.)

El bebé lloró toda la noche. (The baby cried all night.)

Lloramos al despedirnos en el aeropuerto. (We cried saying goodbye at the airport.)

Los fans lloraron cuando su equipo perdió. (The fans cried when their team lost.)

Lloré cuando leí tu carta. (I cried when I read your letter.)

Lloraste durante la ceremonia. (You cried during the ceremony.)

La novia lloró de felicidad. (The bride cried with happiness.)

Lloramos al escuchar la noticia. (We cried when we heard the news.)

Los niños lloraron por el helado. (The children cried for ice cream.)

Lloré al cortar la cebolla. (I cried while cutting the onion.)

Lloraste de risa con el chiste. (You cried with laughter at the joke.)

El actor lloró en la escena final. (The actor cried in the final scene.)

Lloramos de emoción en el reencuentro. (We cried with emotion at the reunion.)

Los graduados lloraron al recibir sus diplomas. (The graduates cried when receiving their diplomas.)

Conjugation Chart with English Translations

Conjugations of Llorar (to cry) in the Preterite (Past) 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.