Preterite of -er and -ir Verbs
The past of -er and -ir verbs starts the same way, comín, comiches and vivín, viviches, then -er verbs use e and -ir verbs use i: comeu but viviu.
How It Works
-er verbs (comer, to eat):
eu comín · ti comiches · el/ela comeu
nós comemos · vós comestes · eles/elas comeron
-ir verbs (vivir, to live):
eu vivín · ti viviches · el/ela viviu
nós vivimos · vós vivistes · eles/elas viviron
The shared part: eu ends in -ín with a written accent, and ti ends in -iches for both groups: bebiches, saíches. The standard chose comiches; comeches is heard in some areas. Regional forms such as partiste or comeste also exist, but the written standard is -iches.
The difference: the third person singular is -eu for -er verbs and -iu for -ir verbs: bebeu (he drank), partiu (he left). In speech some areas merge the two, but the standard keeps them apart.
nós: as with -ar verbs, comemos and vivimos look the same as the present. Context shows the time.
Accents in hiatus: when the stem ends in a vowel, a written accent keeps the i as its own syllable: saír → saín, saíches, saíu, saímos, saístes, saíron. See accents in vowel sequences.
Examples (6)
- Comín moi ben neste restaurante.
I ate very well at this restaurant.
Word by Word: Ate-I very well in-this restaurant.
comer → comín: the eu ending -ín has a written accent.
- Bebeu auga fresca.
He drank cool water.
Word by Word: Drank-he water cool.
beber is an -er verb, so the el form ends in -eu.
- Saíron cedo da casa.
They left home early.
Word by Word: Left-they early from-the house.
saír is an -ir verb; the accent on í marks the hiatus.
- Onde viviches antes?
Where did you live before?
Word by Word: Where lived-you before?
The ti ending -iches is the same for -er and -ir verbs.
- Escribimos unha carta á avoa.
We wrote a letter to Grandma.
Word by Word: Wrote-we a letter to-the grandma.
escribir is an -ir verb: nós ends in -imos.
- Entendestes a pregunta?
Did you all understand the question?
Word by Word: Understood-you-all the question?
entender is an -er verb: vós ends in -estes.
Common Mistakes
Using the Spanish eu ending -í without the final n.
Comí ben.Comín ben.The Galician eu form ends in -ín for both -er and -ir verbs.
Using the Spanish el/ela ending -ió.
Onte comió moito.Onte comeu moito.The Galician el/ela ending is -eu for -er verbs and -iu for -ir verbs: comeu, viviu.
Leaving out the accent that marks a hiatus.
Sairon cedo.Saíron cedo.In saíron the i is a separate stressed syllable, so it needs a written accent.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The -er and -ir preterites share some endings but retain class differences.
Related Patterns
- Preterite of -ar Verbs
The matching past endings for -ar verbs.
Level 2 - Present of -er VerbsPresent Tense of -er Verbs
The -er stems are the same; the nós form looks identical in both tenses.
Level 1 - Accents in Vowel Sequences
Explains the accents in saín, saíches and saíron.
Level 1 - Using the Preterite for Completed Actions
Explains when to use these forms.
Level 2 - Imperfect of -er and -ir Verbs
The other past tense of these verbs, for habits and background.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Preterite of -er and -ir Verbs in Bubblegum
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