aumentó

Aumentó is the third-person singular form in the preterite tense of the Spanish verb aumentar, meaning to increase or raise something. It denotes a completed rise or growth that occurred in the past and is commonly used in formal and informal contexts.

Etymology and related forms: aumentar comes from the Latin augmentare, related to the noun augmentum. The noun form is aumento, and other related forms include aumentar (infinitive), aumentando (gerund), and aumentado (past participle). The word shares cognates with other Romance languages, such as aumentar in Portuguese and augmenter in French.

Grammatical notes: Aumentar is a regular -ar verb. Preterite forms include: yo aumenté, tú aumentaste, él/ella/usted aumentó, nosotros aumentamos, vosotros aumentasteis, ellos/ellas/ustedes aumentaron. The infinitive is aumentar; the participle is aumentado; the gerund is aumentando. Aumentó is thus the standard past tense form for he, she, or you (formal) increased.

Usage: Aumentó is used with a direct object to express increases in quantities, prices, measures, or other metrics, for example: “Las ventas aumentaron un 12%,” “El precio del petróleo aumentó,” or “La población aumentó.” It can also describe a rise in temperature or demand. The noun form, aumento, refers to the increase itself.

Synonyms and contrasts: synonyms include incrementar, subir, crecer, and alzar. Aumentar often emphasizes adding to a quantity or level, while others may stress growth or movement without the explicit implication of addition.