Persistí

Persistí is the first-person singular form of the Spanish verb persistir in the pretérito perfecto simple (preterite) indicative. It translates as “I persisted.” The form is used to describe a completed action in the past, often emphasizing perseverance or sustained effort.

Etymology and usage: Persistir comes from the Latin persistere, combining per- (through, thoroughly) with sistere (to stand). In Spanish, persistir covers meanings such as continuing steadfastly, enduring, or staying firm in a course of action. The pretérito form persistí highlights that the action occurred and concluded at a definite point in the past.

Conjugation in the pretérito: Persistir is a regular -ir verb in this tense. The full paradigm is: yo persistí, tú persististe, él/ella/usted persistió, nosotros persistimos, vosotros persististeis, ellos/ellas/ustedes persistieron. The yo form carries an accent on the í, and the third-person singular form carries an accent on the ó.

Usage notes: Persistí is commonly used in narrative past tense to recount successful perseverance or to contrast with past obstacles. It can appear in personal recollections, reports of experiments, sports, studies, or professional efforts. Related forms include imperfect persistía (I was persisting) and other tenses such as persiste (present), perseverar (to persevere) as a synonym in some contexts.

Examples:

- Persistí en mi entrenamiento a pesar de las lesiones.

- A pesar de los fracasos, persistí y al final alcancé la meta.

See also: persistir, perseverar, insistir.