contrajimos

Contrajimos is the first-person plural form of the Spanish verb contraer in the pretérito indefinido (preterite). It translates as “we contracted” and denotes a completed action in the past in which something was acquired, incurred, or brought about. The verb is commonly used with diseases, debts, obligations, or conditions that come about rather than are created. For example: “Durante el viaje contrajimos la gripe” and “La empresa contrajo una deuda considerable para financiar el proyecto.” The form can appear in historical or journalistic narration to situate events in time.

Etymology and forms: Contraer comes from Latin contrahere, literally “to draw together.” In Spanish, the preterite uses the stem contraj-, as in contrajimos: yo contraje, tú contrajiste, él contrajo, nosotros contrajimos, vosotros contrajisteis, ellos contrajeron. The present tense is contraigo, contraes, contrae, etc.; the imperfect is contraía, etc.

Usage notes: Contrajimos should be used with nouns that can be contracted or incurred: enfermedades, deudas, costos, riesgos, o responsabilidades. It is most common in narrative, period writing, or formal reporting when describing past events in which something was acquired or assumed. It is distinct from other verbs that convey acquisition or attraction in different senses.

Related forms: Other preterite forms include contrajiste, contrajo, contrajisteis, contrajeron. Related verbs include contraer (to contract) and términos derivados como contracción (contract, as a noun) and contracción de gastos o riesgos.