Satisfacer in the Preterite Tense
Satisfacer means “to satisfy”, and this page covers exactly one thing: satisfacer in the preterite tense. The preterite is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what is finished and done. On this page you will find the full preterite table for satisfacer, how the tense is formed for this verb, the situations where it is used, how it differs from the imperfect, worked examples, the mistakes learners make most often, an eight-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions students ask about satisfacer in the preterite. For example: “Ayer, yo satisfice las necesidades de los clientes.” — Yesterday, I satisfied the clients' needs. Everything on this page uses the forms of satisfacer exactly as they are conjugated in the preterite, so you can trust every form you see here.
Satisfacer in the Preterite Tense — full table
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | satisfice |
| tú | satisficiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | satisfizo |
| nosotros/as | satisficimos |
| vosotros/as | satisficisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | satisficieron |
Gerund: satisfaciendo · Past participle: satisfecho
The gerund is satisfaciendo, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy satisfaciendo” means the action of satisfacer is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is satisfecho, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he satisfecho” is the present perfect, used for a completed action. Keep both forms in mind as you read the examples below, because the preterite is only one part of how satisfacer is used.
How the preterite of satisfacer is formed
Satisfacer does not use one regular stem in this tense, so the forms below do not follow the simple stem + endings pattern. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of hacer, with a -g- in the present (as in deshago), a -c- stem in the preterite (as in deshice), and an irregular participle (as in deshecho). Learn the forms in the table rather than guessing them from the infinitive. Learn the six forms as a set: yo satisfice, tú satisficiste, él/ella/Ud. satisfizo, nosotros/as satisficimos, vosotros/as satisficisteis, ellos/ellas/Uds. satisficieron.
The irregularity of satisfacer is in its past participle, satisfecho, not in the preterite, so the table above is the whole story for this tense. Remember the participle for the perfect tenses: he satisfecho, has satisfecho, ha satisfecho.
When to use the preterite of satisfacer
The preterite is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use satisfacer in the preterite most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.
1. One finished action
The preterite reports a single action that started and finished in the past. The action is done, counted once, and the story moves on. Example: “Ayer, yo satisfice las necesidades de los clientes.” — Yesterday, I satisfied the clients' needs.
2. A sequence of events
In a story, each preterite form is one step forward in time. When several things happened one after another, the preterite lists them in order. Example: “Nosotros satisficimos su curiosidad con un libro.” — We satisfied his curiosity with a book.
3. A specific time marker
Time words such as ayer, anoche, el año pasado and la semana pasada point to the preterite. They name a finished moment, and the verb must match. Example: “Él satisfizo el hambre con un bocadillo ayer.” — He satisfied hunger with a sandwich yesterday.
4. A sudden change or interruption
The preterite describes sudden changes and interruptions: something happened, and the situation was different afterwards. Example: “Ellos satisficieron a su jefe con el informe de repente.” — They satisfied his boss with the report suddenly.
5. A completed time frame
When an action took place inside a period of time that is now over, the preterite is the right tense, because the period itself is finished. Example: “Tú satisficiste las necesidades de los clientes la semana pasada.” — You satisfied the clients' needs last week.
Preterite Tense vs Imperfect: how to choose
The closest tense to the preterite is the imperfect, and choosing between them is one of the hardest decisions in Spanish. The rule is simple: the preterite reports one finished action, while the imperfect describes background, habits in the past, or an action that was in progress when something else happened. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is whether the action is finished and counted, or ongoing and descriptive. Time words help: ayer and de repente point to the preterite, while mientras and todos los días in the past point to the imperfect.
Preterite Tense: “Ayer, yo satisfice las necesidades de los clientes.” — Yesterday, I satisfied the clients' needs.
Imperfect: “Yo satisfacía las necesidades de los clientes cada día.” — I used to satisfy the clients' needs every day.
The preterite sentence reports one finished action; the imperfect sentence describes a habit in the past. Ayer points to the preterite, cada día in the past points to the imperfect.
Preterite Tense: “Anoche, él satisfizo su curiosidad con un libro.” — Last night, he satisfied his curiosity with a book.
Imperfect: “Él satisfacía su curiosidad con un libro todos los días.” — He used to satisfy his curiosity with a book every day.
Anoche names one finished night, so the preterite is right; todos los días in the past describes a routine, so the imperfect is right.
Preterite Tense: “Nosotros satisficimos el hambre con un bocadillo ayer.” — We satisfied hunger with a sandwich yesterday.
Imperfect: “Nosotros satisfacíamos el hambre con un bocadillo cuando éramos jóvenes.” — We used to satisfy hunger with a sandwich when we were young.
The preterite sentence counts one finished action; the imperfect sentence describes how things used to be. That difference — finished event versus background — is the whole decision.
Example sentences: satisfacer in the preterite
Read these eight sentences out loud. They cover all six persons, so by the end you will have seen every form in the table used in a real sentence. Pay attention to the words around the verb — the time expressions, the objects, the other verbs — because those are what make each sentence sound natural.
“Satisfice las necesidades de los clientes.” — I satisfied the clients' needs.
“Satisficiste su curiosidad con un libro.” — You satisfied his curiosity with a book.
“Satisfizo el hambre con un bocadillo.” — He/she satisfied hunger with a sandwich.
“Satisficimos a su jefe con el informe.” — We satisfied his boss with the report.
“Satisficisteis las necesidades de los clientes.” — You satisfied the clients' needs.
“Satisficieron su curiosidad con un libro.” — They satisfied his curiosity with a book.
“Satisfice el hambre con un bocadillo.” — I satisfied hunger with a sandwich.
“Satisfizo a su jefe con el informe.” — He/she satisfied his boss with the report.
Common mistakes with satisfacer in the preterite
These are the errors learners actually make with this verb in this tense. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.
Wrong: “Ellos satisfizo las necesidades de los clientes.” Right: “Ellos satisficieron las necesidades de los clientes.” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form satisficieron. The singular satisfizo belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.
Wrong: “Ayer yo satisfací su curiosidad con un libro.” Right: “Ayer yo satisfice su curiosidad con un libro.” Why: Satisfacer has an irregular preterite: the correct first-person form is satisfice, not the regular satisfací.
Wrong: “Nosotros satisficiste el hambre con un bocadillo.” Right: “Nosotros satisficimos el hambre con un bocadillo.” Why: Nosotros needs satisficimos. The tú form satisficiste belongs with tú.
Wrong: “Ellos satisfice a su jefe con el informe.” Right: “Ellos satisficieron a su jefe con el informe.” Why: The verb must agree with its subject. Ellos needs the ellos form satisficieron, not the yo form satisfice.
Quiz: satisfacer in the preterite
Choose the correct answer for each question, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained, so a wrong answer still teaches you something.
1. Complete the sentence: “Yo ______ las necesidades de los clientes.” (The clients' needs.)
- (a) satisfice
- (b) satisficiste
- (c) satisfizo
Answer: satisfice — The yo form of satisfacer in the preterite is satisfice. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
2. Complete the sentence: “¿Tú ______ su curiosidad con un libro?” (His curiosity with a book.)
- (a) satisfice
- (b) satisfizo
- (c) satisficiste
Answer: satisficiste — The tú form of satisfacer in the preterite is satisficiste. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
3. Complete the sentence: “Él ______ el hambre con un bocadillo.” (Hunger with a sandwich.)
- (a) satisficiste
- (b) satisfizo
- (c) satisfice
Answer: satisfizo — The él/ella/Ud. form of satisfacer in the preterite is satisfizo. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ______ a su jefe con el informe.” (His boss with the report.)
- (a) satisficimos
- (b) satisfice
- (c) satisficiste
Answer: satisficimos — The nosotros/as form of satisfacer in the preterite is satisficimos. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
5. What is the vosotros/as form of satisfacer in the preterite?
- (a) satisfice
- (b) satisficiste
- (c) satisficisteis
Answer: satisficisteis — From the table above: vosotros/as takes satisficisteis. Say it with the example sentence “Vosotros satisficisteis las necesidades de los clientes.” to fix it in your memory.
6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ su curiosidad con un libro.” (His curiosity with a book.)
- (a) satisficiste
- (b) satisficieron
- (c) satisfice
Answer: satisficieron — The ellos/ellas/Uds. form of satisfacer in the preterite is satisficieron. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
7. Which is the correct yo form of satisfacer in the preterite?
- (a) satisfice
- (b) satisficiste
- (c) satisfizo
Answer: satisfice — The yo form is satisfice. The other two options are the forms for other persons.
8. Which sentence describes one finished action in the past?
- (a) Yo satisfacía las necesidades de los clientes cada día.
- (b) Mañana, yo satisfaré las necesidades de los clientes.
- (c) Ayer, yo satisfice las necesidades de los clientes.
Answer: Ayer, yo satisfice las necesidades de los clientes. — “Ayer, yo satisfice las necesidades de los clientes.” reports a single completed event, so it takes the preterite. The second option describes background or a past habit, and the third looks to the future.
Frequently asked questions
Is satisfacer regular in the preterite?
No. Satisfacer has an irregular preterite: satisfice, satisficiste, satisfizo, satisficimos, satisficisteis, satisficieron. Learn these forms as a set rather than deriving them from the infinitive.
What is the past participle of satisfacer?
The past participle is satisfecho: 'He satisfecho' means 'I have satisfied'. It is used with haber in every perfect tense. The gerund is satisfaciendo.
When do I use the preterite instead of the imperfect for satisfacer?
Use the preterite for one finished action, as in Ayer, yo satisfice las necesidades de los clientes. Use the imperfect for a repeated habit or background, as in Yo satisfacía las necesidades de los clientes cada día. The time words around the verb usually tell you which one fits.
How do I remember the preterite forms of satisfacer?
Say the six forms out loud in order, three times, with a real sentence for each one: yo satisfice, tú satisficiste, él/ella/Ud. satisfizo, nosotros/as satisficimos, vosotros/as satisficisteis, ellos/ellas/Uds. satisficieron. Then write three of your own sentences with satisfacer in the preterite, using the examples on this page as models.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of satisfacer — every tense of satisfacer in one place.
- Satisfacer examples and quiz — more sentences with satisfacer and a ten-question quiz.
- Spanish preterite guide — how the preterite works for all Spanish verbs.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Preterite conjugator — conjugate any verb in the preterite instantly.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on satisfacer and other verbs.