The preterite of pensar is used to express when someone thought about something for a specific duration or moment in the past. For example, when you want to say “I thought about it yesterday” – “Lo pensé ayer.”

This verb follows the regular -ar conjugation pattern in the preterite tense. Despite being a stem-changing verb in the present tense, it follows regular conjugation patterns in the preterite.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Pensar (to think) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):

The Preterite of pensar expresses completed thoughts or decisions.

To think (specific instance): Used for specific thoughts or decisions, for example Pensé en ti ayer (I thought about you yesterday), or Pensaron en una solución (They thought of a solution).

To consider/decide: Indicates reaching a conclusion, for example Lo pensé bien antes de actuar (I thought it through well before acting).

Examples

Examples of Pensar in the Preterite (Past) Tense

Pensé mucho en lo que me dijiste. (I thought a lot about what you told me.)

¿Qué pensaste cuando lo viste? (What did you think when you saw it?)

Nunca pensamos que llegaría tan lejos. (We never thought he would go so far.)

Pensaron en mudarse a otro país. (They thought about moving to another country.)

¿Pensaste en las consecuencias? (Did you think about the consequences?)

Lo pensé mejor y decidí quedarme. (I thought it over and decided to stay.)

Pensó que era la mejor opción. (He thought it was the best option.)

No pensamos que sería tan difícil. (We didn’t think it would be so difficult.)

Pensaron en todas las posibilidades. (They thought about all the possibilities.)

Pensé en llamarte ayer. (I thought about calling you yesterday.)

¿Qué pensó tu jefe de la propuesta? (What did your boss think of the proposal?)

Pensamos que era una buena idea. (We thought it was a good idea.)

Pensaste muy bien en esa situación. (You thought very well in that situation.)

Pensaron que era una broma. (They thought it was a joke.)

Pensé que nunca llegaría este momento. (I thought this moment would never come.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Pensar (to think) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American 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.