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Preterite: meaning, definitions and examples

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preterite

 

[ ˈprɛtərɪt ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

grammar term

The preterite is a verb tense used in some languages, including Spanish and French, to indicate actions that have been completed in the past. It is often associated with definite time expressions and specific completed actions. In English, this tense is usually referred to as the simple past tense.

Synonyms

past tense, simple past

Examples of usage

  • I walked to the store yesterday.
  • She finished her homework last week.
  • They visited Paris last summer.

Translations

Translations of the word "preterite" in other languages:

🇵🇹 pretérito

🇮🇳 पूर्वकाल

🇩🇪 Präteritum

🇮🇩 preterit

🇺🇦 попередній

🇵🇱 preteritum

🇯🇵 過去形

🇫🇷 prétérit

🇪🇸 pretérito

🇹🇷 geçmiş zaman

🇰🇷 과거형

🇸🇦 الماضي

🇨🇿 preteritum

🇸🇰 preteritum

🇨🇳 过去式

🇸🇮 preterit

🇮🇸 fortíð

🇰🇿 өткен шақ

🇬🇪 წარსული დრო

🇦🇿 keçmiş zaman

🇲🇽 pretérito

Etymology

The term 'preterite' comes from the Latin word 'praeteritus,' meaning 'gone by' or 'past.' The Latin 'praeter' means 'beyond' or 'past,' and 'itus' is a suffix indicating a past action. The use of this term in English grammar traces back to the 19th century when linguists began classifying verb tenses more rigorously. In modern linguistics, the preterite is crucial for understanding how languages express time and aspect, particularly in language instruction for students learning languages that utilize this tense prominently. Over time, the preterite has been applied to various languages, leading to discussions about its form and function in both spoken and written communication.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #30,082 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.