Obtener Preterite Tense in Spanish
Introduction
obtener means "to obtain" in English, and the preterite tense is the form you use when you talk about one action that started and finished in the past. This page gives you the full preterite-tense table for obtener, explains how the tense is formed for this verb, shows when to use it, contrasts it with the closest tense, and finishes with examples, the mistakes learners actually make, a quiz and answers to the most common questions. A natural example is: Ayer, yo obtuve un buen resultado en el examen. — "Yesterday, I obtained a good result in the exam." Once you can say that sentence confidently, try changing the person and the complement using the table below.
The preterite tense of obtener: full table
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| Yo | obtuve |
| Tú | obtuviste |
| Él / Ella | obtuvo |
| Nosotros | obtuvimos |
| Vosotros | obtuvisteis |
| Ellos | obtuvieron |
The gerund of obtener is obteniendo and the past participle is obtenido. The gerund is used for the progressive (estoy obteniendo), and the participle is used with haber in all perfect tenses (he obtenido).
How the preterite of obtener is formed
The preterite of obtener is irregular: it uses the stem obtuv- with the regular -er preterite endings. That gives obtuve, obtuviste, obtuvo, obtuvimos, obtuvisteis and obtuvieron. There is no regular form such as obtení. The same obtuv- stem appears in the imperfect subjunctive (obtuviera). Note also that obtener is a stem-changing verb in the present tense (obtengo, obtienes, obtiene), but the preterite uses the obtuv- stem instead.
The past participle is obtenido, used with haber in all perfect tenses: he obtenido. The gerund is obteniendo, used for the progressive with estar: estoy obteniendo. Both forms are worth memorising alongside the preterite, because they appear together in real conversation.
When to use the preterite tense with obtener
1. Exam results
Ayer obtuve un buen resultado en el examen is the most satisfying use of this verb. The preterite obtuve marks a completed achievement, and the sentence belongs to a specific past moment. For example: Ayer, yo obtuve un buen resultado en el examen. — "Yesterday, I obtained a good result in the exam."
2. A driving licence
Obtuve el permiso de conducir shows the verb with an official document. It means you passed the tests and received the licence, and it is a milestone sentence in many lives. For example: Ayer, tú obtuviste el permiso de conducir. — "Yesterday, you obtained the driving licence."
3. A scholarship
Obtuve una beca para estudiar is the academic use: it means you were awarded a scholarship. It is formal, proud language, and it appears in CVs and applications. For example: Ayer, él / ella obtuvo una beca para estudiar. — "Yesterday, he / she obtained a scholarship to study."
4. Sequences of completed actions
The preterite is the tense of sequences: one finished action after another. When you tell a story about yesterday, the preterite carries the plot forward, one event at a time. For example: Ayer, nosotros obtuvimos información importante. — "Yesterday, we obtained important information." — and the next sentence would give the next event in the sequence.
Preterite vs imperfect: obtener
The closest tense to the preterite is the imperfect, and learners mix them up constantly. The rule is simple: the preterite describes one action that started and finished, while the imperfect describes a habit, a background or an action in progress in the past. The three pairs below show the difference with obtener.
Pair 1
- Preterite (one finished action): Ayer, yo obtuve un buen resultado en el examen. — "Yesterday, I obtained a good result in the exam."
- Imperfect (habit or background): Antes, yo obtenía un buen resultado en el examen. — "Before, I used to obtain a good result in the exam."
The first sentence describes something that happened once and is finished. The second describes something that used to happen regularly. If you can add ayer, use the preterite; if you can add antes or cada día in the past, use the imperfect.
Pair 2
- Preterite (one finished action): Ayer, yo obtuve el permiso de conducir. — "Yesterday, I obtained the driving licence."
- Imperfect (habit or background): Antes, yo obtenía el permiso de conducir. — "Before, I used to obtain the driving licence."
The first sentence describes something that happened once and is finished. The second describes something that used to happen regularly. If you can add ayer, use the preterite; if you can add antes or cada día in the past, use the imperfect.
Pair 3
- Preterite (one finished action): Ayer, yo obtuve una beca para estudiar. — "Yesterday, I obtained a scholarship to study."
- Imperfect (habit or background): Antes, yo obtenía una beca para estudiar. — "Before, I used to obtain a scholarship to study."
The first sentence describes something that happened once and is finished. The second describes something that used to happen regularly. If you can add ayer, use the preterite; if you can add antes or cada día in the past, use the imperfect.
Examples: obtener in the preterite tense
These six sentences show obtener in the preterite tense with a different person each time. Read them aloud, then try changing the person and the complement to make your own versions.
- Yo obtuve un buen resultado en el examen. — "I obtained a good result in the exam."
- Tú obtuviste el permiso de conducir. — "You obtained the driving licence."
- Él / Ella obtuvo una beca para estudiar. — "He / She obtained a scholarship to study."
- Nosotros obtuvimos información importante. — "We obtained important information."
- Vosotros obtuvisteis un buen resultado en el examen. — "You obtained a good result in the exam."
- Ellos obtuvieron el permiso de conducir. — "They obtained the driving licence."
Common mistakes with obtener in the preterite tense
Mistake 1
- Wrong: Ayer yo obtení un buen resultado.
- Right: Ayer yo obtuve un buen resultado.
- Why: The preterite of obtener is irregular: obtuve, obtuviste, obtuvo. The regular-looking form obtení does not exist.
Mistake 2
- Wrong: He obtenido un buen resultado, pero no lo tengo.
- Right: He obtenido un buen resultado.
- Why: The second clause contradicts the first. Obtener means you got it, so do not add that you do not have it.
Mistake 3
- Wrong: Obtener es lo mismo que conseguir.
- Right: They are close, but obtener is more formal.
- Why: Conseguir is the everyday verb for getting something. Obtener is the formal version, used in official, academic and written Spanish.
Mistake 4
- Wrong: Cada día, yo obtuve un buen resultado en el examen.
- Right: Cada día, yo obtengo un buen resultado en el examen.
- Why: Cada día means every day, so the action is a habit and needs the present tense. The preterite is for one finished action, not for routines.
Quiz: the preterite tense of obtener
Test yourself with eight questions on the preterite tense of obtener. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.
1. What is the i form of obtener in the preterite tense?
- (a) obtuve
- (b) obtuviste
- (c) obtuvo
- (d) obtuvimos
Answer: (a) obtuve. The i form is obtuve. The other options are the yo, tu, el forms, so check the person before you answer.
2. What is the you form of obtener in the preterite tense?
- (a) obtuve
- (b) obtuvo
- (c) obtuvimos
- (d) obtuviste
Answer: (d) obtuviste. The you form is obtuviste. The other options are the yo, tu, el forms, so check the person before you answer.
3. What is the he / she form of obtener in the preterite tense?
- (a) obtuviste
- (b) obtuvimos
- (c) obtuvo
- (d) obtuve
Answer: (c) obtuvo. The he / she form is obtuvo. The other options are the yo, tu, el forms, so check the person before you answer.
4. What is the we form of obtener in the preterite tense?
- (a) obtuvo
- (b) obtuvimos
- (c) obtuve
- (d) obtuviste
Answer: (b) obtuvimos. The we form is obtuvimos. The other options are the yo, tu, el forms, so check the person before you answer.
5. What is the they form of obtener in the preterite tense?
- (a) obtuvieron
- (b) obtuve
- (c) obtuviste
- (d) obtuvo
Answer: (a) obtuvieron. The they form is obtuvieron. The other options are the yo, tu, el forms, so check the person before you answer.
6. Complete the sentence: Ayer, yo ___ un buen resultado en el examen.
- (a) obtuvo
- (b) obtuvimos
- (c) obtuve
- (d) obtuviste
Answer: (c) obtuve. The sentence needs the yo form obtuve (Yesterday, I obtained a good result in the exam.)
7. What is the past participle of obtener?
- (a) obteniendo
- (b) obtener
- (c) obtuvo
- (d) obtenido
Answer: (d) obtenido. The past participle is obtenido, used with haber in all perfect tenses: he obtenido.
8. Which sentence describes one action that was completed yesterday?
- (a) Cada día, yo obtengo el permiso de conducir.
- (b) Ayer, yo obtuve el permiso de conducir.
- (c) Mañana, yo obtendré el permiso de conducir.
- (d) Antes, yo obtenía el permiso de conducir.
Answer: (b) Ayer, yo obtuve el permiso de conducir.. Ayer, yo obtuve el permiso de conducir. (Yesterday, I obtained the driving licence.) describes one completed action, so it uses the preterite. Cada día, yo obtengo el permiso de conducir. is a habit, and Antes, yo obtenía el permiso de conducir. is a repeated past action.
Frequently asked questions about the preterite tense of obtener
Is the preterite of obtener regular?
No. It uses the irregular stem obtuv-: obtuve, obtuviste, obtuvo, obtuvimos, obtuvisteis, obtuvieron. The same stem appears in the imperfect subjunctive.
What is the difference between obtener and conseguir?
Conseguir is the everyday verb for getting something. Obtener is more formal and more official, and it is the verb you meet in documents and in academic writing.
Is obtener a stem-changing verb?
Yes, in the present tense: obtengo, obtienes, obtiene, obtienen. The stem changes from e to ie in the stressed forms, and the yo form is obtengo.
When do I use the preterite instead of the imperfect with obtener?
Use the preterite for one finished action: Ayer, yo obtuve un buen resultado en el examen. — "Yesterday, I obtained a good result in the exam." Use the imperfect for a habit or background in the past: Antes, yo obtenía un buen resultado en el examen. — "Before, I used to obtain a good result in the exam." If the action happened once and is finished, choose the preterite; if it used to happen regularly, choose the imperfect.