The preterite of salir is used to express a completed action of leaving or going out in the past. For example, you might say “I left the office at 5 PM,” indicating the specific moment of departure.
This is a regular -ir verb in the preterite tense. The conjugations follow the standard pattern for -ir verbs, making it straightforward to use in conversation.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Salir (to leave/go out) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | salí |
| Tú | saliste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | salió |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | salimos |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | salieron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Salir (to leave/go out) 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 Salir in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The preterite of salir describes a completed action of leaving or going out in the past.
To leave/go out: Describes exiting or departing, for example Salí temprano de casa (I left home early) or Salieron del cine a medianoche (They left the cinema at midnight).
To turn out: Used for describing outcomes, for example La foto salió muy bien (The photo turned out very well).
To appear: Used for sudden appearances, for example El sol salió después de la lluvia (The sun came out after the rain).
Examples
Examples of Salir in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Salí temprano de la oficina. (I left the office early.)
¿A qué hora saliste de casa? (What time did you leave home?)
El tren salió con retraso. (The train left late.)
Salimos a cenar anoche. (We went out for dinner last night.)
Los estudiantes salieron al recreo. (The students went out for recess.)
Salí a correr esta mañana. (I went out for a run this morning.)
¿Por qué saliste sin abrigo? (Why did you go out without a coat?)
El avión salió a tiempo. (The plane left on time.)
Salimos de vacaciones la semana pasada. (We left for vacation last week.)
Todos salieron corriendo del edificio. (Everyone ran out of the building.)
Salí con mis amigos el fin de semana. (I went out with my friends on the weekend.)
La película salió en los cines ayer. (The movie came out in theaters yesterday.)
Salimos a explorar la ciudad. (We went out to explore the city.)
El sol salió muy temprano hoy. (The sun came out very early today.)
¿Saliste a comprar el pan? (Did you go out to buy bread?)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Salir (to leave/go out) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo salí | I left |
| Tú saliste | You left |
| Él / Ella / Usted salió | He / She / You left |
| Nosotros / Nosotras salimos | We left |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes salieron | They / You all left |
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.