construí

Construí is the first-person singular preterite indicative form of the Spanish verb construir, meaning “I built” or “I constructed.” It is used to describe a completed action in the past and is common in narratives or reports about past events. The verb can refer to physical construction as well as to the creation of ideas, plans, or structures.

Etymology and background: Construir derives from Latin constructus, from con- “together” and struere “to heap up, to build,” through the medieval development of Spanish. The form construí emerged as the standard yo form in the preterite, with other conjugations following the irregular pattern typical of -uir verbs in past tenses.

Conjugation and pattern: Construir is an -ir verb that shows irregularities in the preterite. The standard preterite forms are: yo construí, tú construiste, él/ella/usted construyó, nosotros construimos, vosotros construisteis, ellos/ellas/ustedes construyeron. In the third person forms, a y is inserted in the stem (construyó, construyeron), reflecting the general -uir verb pattern in this tense. The yo form carries a written accent to indicate stress: construí.

Usage notes: Use construí to narrate a completed past action by the speaker. It contrasts with present forms like construyo (I build) or future/conditional forms such as construiré or construiría. Examples: “Ayer construí una casa.” “El equipo construyó un prototipo en dos meses.” The verb also appears in larger constructions with time markers or sequences of events.

See also: construir (infinitive), construcción (construction), pretérito (preterite).