apreté

Apreté is the first-person singular preterite form of the Spanish verb apretar, meaning I pressed or I tightened. It is used to describe a completed action in which pressure was applied or a tightening was achieved, whether physically (such as squeezing or tightening a screw) or figuratively (as in pressing for an answer).

Etymology and meaning: apretar derives from Latin premere, “to press.” The preterite form apreté communicates that the act of pressing happened in the past and is finished. In everyday Spanish, other preterite forms of apretar include apretaste, apretó, apretamos, apretasteis, and apretaron.

Usage and examples: Apreté el tornillo hasta que quedó firme. Apreté la mano de mi interlocutor para demostrar seguridad. The verb covers a range of senses from physical compression (tightening, squeezing) to applying pressure to influence a situation (apretar un botón, apretar los plazos).

Grammatical notes: Apreté behaves like a regular -ar verb in the preterite, with the accent on the final syllable to mark the stress. In present tense forms, the verb is irregular in some moods and tenses (apreto, aprietas, aprieta, etc.), but the preterite forms follow the standard pattern of other -ar verbs.

See also: apretar, apriete, presión.