acostumbraron

Acostumbraron is the third-person plural form of the Spanish verb acostumbrar in the pretérito indefinido (simple past). The verb means to accustom, to habituate, or to get someone used to something. It is used transitively: someone acostumbra a alguien a hacer algo, often followed by a or an infinitive.

In usage, acostumbraron conveys that a past action was taken to cause a change in habit or routine for others. For example: Los maestros acostrumaron a los alumnos a trabajar en silencio. Here, the teachers caused the students to become accustomed to working quietly. Another example: La empresa acostumbro a los clientes a pagar antes de entregar el servicio. This means the company conditioned the clients to pay upfront.

Acostumbrar can take various objects, including people, groups, or even situations, and is frequently paired with a phrase starting with a to-infinitive, such as a comer temprano, a llegar temprano, or a trabajar con rigor. The related verb acostemperar provides a similar sense in some contexts, while the reflexive counterpart, acostumbrarse, means to become accustomed oneself (se acostumbraron a…, ellos se acostumbraron).

Etymology traces acostumbrar to la costumbre, the concept of habit or custom, with the standard Spanish verb-forming suffix -ar. In English, the nuance is best captured by “to accustom (someone to)” or “to get someone used to.” See also costumbre, acostumbrado, acostumbrarse.