The preterite of parar is used to express a specific instance of stopping in the past, for example El tren paró en la estación (The train stopped at the station). This tense emphasizes the completed action of stopping at a particular moment.

This is a regular -ar verb that follows the standard preterite conjugation pattern. Its straightforward conjugation makes it an excellent example for practicing regular preterite forms.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Parar (to stop) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

The preterite of parar indicates a completed action of stopping in the past.

To stop: Describes ceasing movement or action, for example Paré el coche en el semáforo (I stopped the car at the traffic light) or La lluvia paró de repente (The rain stopped suddenly).

To halt/end: Used for ending an activity, for example Pararon la construcción por falta de fondos (They halted the construction due to lack of funds).

Examples

Examples of Parar in the Preterite (Past) Tense

Paré el carro en el semáforo. (I stopped the car at the traffic light.)

Paraste la música de repente. (You stopped the music suddenly.)

El conductor paró el autobús. (The driver stopped the bus.)

Paramos a descansar en el camino. (We stopped to rest on the way.)

Los manifestantes pararon el tráfico. (The protesters stopped the traffic.)

Paré de trabajar a las seis. (I stopped working at six.)

Paraste el proyecto a tiempo. (You stopped the project on time.)

La lluvia paró al anochecer. (The rain stopped at nightfall.)

Paramos la pelea. (We stopped the fight.)

Las máquinas pararon de funcionar. (The machines stopped working.)

Paré de correr por el cansancio. (I stopped running due to fatigue.)

Paraste el video en la mejor parte. (You stopped the video at the best part.)

El chef paró de cocinar. (The chef stopped cooking.)

Paramos el juego por la lluvia. (We stopped the game because of the rain.)

Los obreros pararon la construcción. (The workers stopped the construction.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Parar (to stop) in the Preterite (Past) Tense 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.