conduje

Conduje is the first-person singular preterite form of the Spanish verb conducir, meaning to drive, to lead, or to conduct. It is used to describe completed actions in the past, such as driving a vehicle or directing a process, event, or organization.

Conjugation in the preterite is: conduje, condujiste, condujo, condujimos, condujisteis, condujeron. The form conduje corresponds to yo, and the stem changes from conduc- to conduj- in all singular and plural forms. The ellos form ends with condujeron. This class of -ducir verbs is irregular in the preterite, with analogous patterns seen in producir, traducir, and related verbs.

Etymology: conducir derives from Latin conducere, meaning “to bring together” or “to lead.” The Spanish form preserves the duc- root but adopts a -j- in the preterite to satisfy phonological and orthographic patterns of the language. The noun con- + ducción (conducción) covers related meanings such as driving, conduction, or leadership.

Usage: Conduje covers both literal driving and figurative leadership. It describes a completed past action: "I drove to the coast" or "I led the project." In some regions, other verbs like manejar are common for driving, but conducir remains standard in formal or general contexts. The related noun conducción or conducción de vehículos is used for the act of driving, while conduct is represented by other terms in English loanwords.

Examples: Ayer conduje al trabajo. Conduje la reunión con claridad. These illustrate the dual sense of driving a vehicle and leading an activity, depending on context.