Deseó

Deseó is the third-person singular form of the Spanish verb desear in the preterite indicative. It corresponds to "he desired," "she desired," or the formal "you (usted) desired" in the past. It is used to indicate a completed act of wishing or longing that occurred at a specific time.

Etymology and meaning: Desear comes from the Latin desiderare, itself derived from desiderium, meaning desire or longing. The preterite form deseó retains the same core meaning of desiring something in the past, distinct from the noun deseo, which denotes a wish or desire in general.

Usage and grammar: Deseó is used in narrative or past-tense contexts to describe someone’s past wish or intention. It often appears with direct objects or with subordinate clauses expressing what was desired, as in "Él deseó una oportunidad" or "Ella deseó que la decisión fuera diferente." The word emphasizes a completed moment of longing, rather than a general tendency. It contrasts with the present tense deseo (I desire) and with the imperfect desearía (would like / would desire) in hypothetical contexts. In everyday speech, speakers may substitute phrases like "quiso" (wanted) or "dijo desear" depending on nuance.

Related forms: The verb has other tenses and moods, including deseo (present), desea (present third person), desearía (conditional), and desear (infinitive). The noun form deseo stands apart as the expression of a wish or desire.

See also: Desear, deseo, deseo in literature, verb conjugation.