The preterite of merecer is used to express that someone deserved something at a specific moment in the past, for example Mereció el premio por su esfuerzo (He deserved the prize for his effort). This tense emphasizes the completed state of deserving at a particular point.
This is a regular -er verb that follows the standard preterite conjugation pattern. Despite ending in -cer, it maintains regular conjugation in the preterite tense.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Merecer (to deserve) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | merecí |
| Tú | mereciste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | mereció |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | merecimos |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | merecieron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Merecer (to deserve) 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 Merecer in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The preterite of merecer indicates a completed state of deserving in the past.
To deserve: Describes being worthy of something, for example Mereció el premio (He/she deserved the prize) or Merecieron el reconocimiento (They deserved the recognition).
To be worth: Used for indicating value or worth, for example El esfuerzo mereció la pena (The effort was worth it).
To earn: Used for earning through merit, for example Mereció el respeto de todos (He/she earned everyone’s respect).
Examples
Examples of Merecer in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Merecí el ascenso por mi trabajo duro. (I deserved the promotion for my hard work.)
Mereciste ganar la competencia. (You deserved to win the competition.)
El equipo mereció la victoria. (The team deserved the victory.)
Merecimos el reconocimiento. (We deserved the recognition.)
Los estudiantes merecieron las buenas notas. (The students deserved the good grades.)
Merecí una explicación. (I deserved an explanation.)
Mereciste el primer premio. (You deserved the first prize.)
La película mereció todos los premios. (The movie deserved all the awards.)
Merecimos una segunda oportunidad. (We deserved a second chance.)
Los atletas merecieron la medalla de oro. (The athletes deserved the gold medal.)
Merecí su confianza. (I deserved their trust.)
Mereciste el respeto de todos. (You deserved everyone’s respect.)
El proyecto mereció más atención. (The project deserved more attention.)
Merecimos un mejor trato. (We deserved better treatment.)
Los voluntarios merecieron el agradecimiento. (The volunteers deserved the gratitude.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Merecer (to deserve) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo merecí | I deserved |
| Tú mereciste | You deserved |
| Él / Ella / Usted mereció | He / She / You deserved |
| Nosotros / Nosotras merecimos | We deserved |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes merecieron | They / You all deserved |
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.