The preterite of respirar is used to express a specific instance of breathing in the past, for example Respiré profundamente antes de dar mi discurso (I took a deep breath before giving my speech). This tense emphasizes the completed action of breathing 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 Respirar (to breathe) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

The preterite of respirar describes a completed instance of breathing in the past.

To breathe: Refers to taking a breath, for example Respiré profundamente antes de hablar (I breathed deeply before speaking) or Respiró con dificultad después de correr (He/she breathed with difficulty after running).

To take a breather: Used figuratively for taking a pause, for example Respiré un poco cuando terminó el trabajo (I took a breather when the work was finished).

Examples

Examples of Respirar in the Preterite (Past) Tense

Respiré profundamente antes del examen. (I breathed deeply before the exam.)

Respiraste con dificultad después de correr. (You breathed with difficulty after running.)

El paciente respiró normalmente tras la operación. (The patient breathed normally after the operation.)

Respiramos el aire fresco de la montaña. (We breathed the fresh mountain air.)

Los buzos respiraron con tanques de oxígeno. (The divers breathed with oxygen tanks.)

Respiré aliviado al ver los resultados. (I breathed relieved when I saw the results.)

Respiraste el aroma de las flores. (You breathed in the scent of the flowers.)

El atleta respiró agitadamente después de la carrera. (The athlete breathed heavily after the race.)

Respiramos mejor después de la lluvia. (We breathed better after the rain.)

Los bomberos respiraron a través de máscaras. (The firefighters breathed through masks.)

Respiré el aire marino en la playa. (I breathed in the sea air at the beach.)

Respiraste con calma durante la meditación. (You breathed calmly during meditation.)

El bebé respiró por primera vez. (The baby breathed for the first time.)

Respiramos el aire puro del campo. (We breathed the pure country air.)

Los yoguis respiraron sincronizadamente. (The yogis breathed in sync.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Respirar (to breathe) 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.