The verb "construir" belongs to a group of verbs that maintain their -uir ending in the infinitive form but experience specific phonetic changes when conjugated in the preterite tense. In the third person singular, "él/ella construyó" indicates that he or she built something in the past. The third person plural form, "ellos/ellas construyeron," signifies that they built something in the past.
This verb form follows the typical Spanish preterite conjugation pattern for irregular verbs ending in -uir. The accent mark on "construyó" is necessary to maintain proper pronunciation and stress placement. The plural form "construyeron" adheres to standard Spanish orthographic rules for past tense endings.
In practical usage, these verb forms appear frequently in historical narratives, architectural discussions, and descriptions of completed construction projects. For example, one might say "El arquitecto construyó el edificio en 1920" or "Los trabajadores construyeron la carretera durante dos años."
The distinction between singular and plural forms is crucial for clear communication in Spanish, as it indicates whether one person or multiple people performed the action of building. This grammatical precision allows speakers to convey specific information about past construction activities and achievements.