descansaron

Descansaron is the third-person plural form of the Spanish verb descansar in the pretérito indefinido (simple past). It translates as "they rested" or "you all rested," depending on the subject used in the sentence. The form is used with ellos, ellas, or ustedes.

Descansar is a regular -ar verb, so its pretérito indefinido endings follow the pattern -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron. Therefore, descansaron is the standard 3rd person plural ending. For example: “Ellos descansaron después de la caminata.” “Ustedes descansaron un rato antes de continuar.”

Usage notes: The pretérito indefinido expresses a completed action in the past with a definite time frame or a sequence of events in narrative. It contrasts with the imperfect form descansaban, which would indicate a past habitual action or a continuing moment in the past. In everyday speech, descansaron is common when recounting specific past moments of rest.

Regional and stylistic notes: In all Spanish-speaking regions, ustedes is used as the second-person plural, and descansaron is the form employed for both ustedes and ellos/ellas. Alternatives to convey similar meaning include reposaron or tomaron un descanso, though these can carry slightly different nuances.

Etymology: Descansar comes from the Spanish verb descansar, which denotes to take a rest or to relieve fatigue. The term has Latin roots and has cognates in other Romance languages, reflecting a shared inheritance of the concept of resting after activity.