The preterite of obtener is used to express the completion of obtaining something in the past. For example, you might say “I obtained my driver’s license last week,” indicating the specific moment when you received or acquired something.
This is an irregular verb in the preterite tense. It follows the same irregular pattern as ‘tener’, with the stem changing to ‘obtuv-‘ in all forms.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Obtener (to obtain) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | obtuve |
| Tú | obtuviste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | obtuvo |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | obtuvimos |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | obtuvieron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Obtener (to obtain) 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 Obtener in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The preterite of obtener describes completed acquisitions. Acquisition: Indicates getting or obtaining something specific, for example, obtuve el permiso ayer (I obtained the permit yesterday). Achievement: Used for achieving a specific result, for example, obtuvo el primer lugar (he/she obtained first place). Reception: Describes receiving something sought after, for example, obtuvieron la respuesta que esperaban (they got the answer they were waiting for).
Examples
Examples of Obtener in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Obtuve mi licencia de conducir. (I obtained my driver’s license.)
¿Obtuviste el permiso necesario? (Did you obtain the necessary permit?)
Ella obtuvo una beca completa. (She obtained a full scholarship.)
Obtuvimos buenos resultados. (We obtained good results.)
Los científicos obtuvieron datos importantes. (The scientists obtained important data.)
Obtuve el primer lugar en la competencia. (I obtained first place in the competition.)
¿Cómo obtuviste esa información? (How did you obtain that information?)
La empresa obtuvo grandes beneficios. (The company obtained large profits.)
Obtuvimos la aprobación del proyecto. (We obtained the project approval.)
Los estudiantes obtuvieron excelentes calificaciones. (The students obtained excellent grades.)
Obtuve un nuevo trabajo. (I obtained a new job.)
El equipo obtuvo la victoria. (The team obtained the victory.)
Obtuvimos descuentos especiales. (We obtained special discounts.)
El investigador obtuvo resultados sorprendentes. (The researcher obtained surprising results.)
Los artistas obtuvieron reconocimiento internacional. (The artists obtained international recognition.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Obtener (to obtain) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo obtuve | I obtained |
| Tú obtuviste | You obtained |
| Él / Ella / Usted obtuvo | He / She / You obtained |
| Nosotros / Nosotras obtuvimos | We obtained |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes obtuvieron | They / You all obtained |
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.