Discutió

Discutió is the third-person singular form of the Spanish verb discutir in the pretérito indefinido (also called pretérito simple). The verb means to discuss, to debate, or to argue about a topic. In many contexts, discutir can also imply a strong argument, depending on tone and region.

Etymology and meaning: Discutir comes from Latin discutere, literally “to shake apart” or “to examine thoroughly.” In Spanish, the sense evolved to include examining a topic in conversation, as well as engaging in an argument. The form discutir is regular in the pretérito indefinido, producing discutió for él/Ella/Ud. and discutieron for ellos/ellas/Uds.

Conjugation relevant forms in the pretérito indefinido (indicative past):

- Yo discutí

- Tú discutiste

- Él/Ella/Ud. discutió

- Nosotros discutimos

- Vosotros discutisteis

- Ellos/Ellas/Uds. discutieron

Usage notes: Discutió can denote a civil discussion or a heated argument; context typically clarifies meaning. In some dialects, discutir more commonly conveys debating a topic, whereas other senses might emphasize conflict. Pairing with prepositional phrases helps specify the topic, as in discutir un tema, discutir sobre algo, or discutir con alguien.

Examples:

- La comisión discutió la propuesta durante dos horas.

- Ayer discutió con su compañero sobre la estrategia del proyecto.

See also: discutir, discusión, debate. This entry focuses on the past tense form and its general usage in Spanish.