Ensalzaron

Ensalzaron is the third-person plural preterite form of the Spanish verb ensalzar, meaning to exalt, praise highly, or laud something or someone. It is used to describe past actions in which someone extolled or celebrated a person, idea, work, or achievement.

The verb ensalzar is a regular -ar verb, and ensalzaron follows standard Spanish conjugation patterns for this class. In the preterite tense the forms are: yo ensalacé, tú ensalzaste, él/ella/usted ensalzó, nosotros ensalzamos, vosotros ensalzasteis, y ellos/ellas/ustedes ensalzaron. The yo form features a spelling change (z to c) before the é to preserve the pronunciation.

Usage and nuance: ensalzar is typically employed in formal, literary, or rhetorical registers. It conveys a sense of high praise or exaltation that goes beyond everyday commendation. It can be used for people (e.g., leaders, artists), works (e.g., films, books), or ideals (e.g., values, principles). It is a close synonym of exaltar or alabar, though ensalzar often suggests a more elevated or laudatory tone.

Examples: "Los críticos ensalzaron la actuación de la joven." This translates to "The critics extolled the young actress's performance." In historical or journalistic writing, a sentence like "El discurso ensalzó los logros del régimen" would mean the speech praised the regime's achievements.

Relation to related forms: ensalzaron is specifically the past tense form; other forms use the same root to express praise in different tenses or moods.