Separasteis

Separasteis is a Spanish verb form used to mean “you separated” in the second-person plural. It is the preterite (simple past) form of the verb separ ar, used when the subject is vosotros (you all). When the action is reflexive, the form appears with the reflexive pronoun os as in vosotoros os separasteis, meaning “you separated yourselves.”

Origin and grammar

Separasteis derives from the Latin verb separare, via the Spanish -ar verb conjugation pattern. In the preterite tense, -ar verbs take the ending -asteis for vosotros. The reflexive voice adds the pronoun os, typically placed before the verb (vosotros os separasteis), though the underlying verb form remains separasteis.

Usage and regional variation

Separasteis is primarily used in Spain and among communities that preserve the vosotros form. In most of Latin America, the corresponding preterite for the second-person plural is separaron, used with ustedes. Therefore, separasteis signals informal address to a group in the past in varieties that maintain the vosotros form, whereas in many other dialects the same meaning would be conveyed with separaron.

Examples

- Separasteis las piezas del rompecabezas ayer. (You separated the puzzle pieces yesterday.)

- Os separasteis del grupo cuando llegó la lluvia. (You separated yourselves from the group when the rain arrived.)

Notes

Separasteis can function with or without the reflexive pronoun, depending on whether the action is transitive or reflexive. In everyday writing, the form is commonly seen as vosotoros os separasteis for reflexive use, and separasteis for transitive use.