describiste

Describiste is the second person singular preterite indicative form of the Spanish verb describir, meaning you described. It is used to refer to a completed description or act of describing that occurred in the past with the subject tú (informal you). The form is typical of -ir verbs in the preterite.

Etymology and related forms: describir comes from Latin describere, formed with the prefix des- and the verb stem scribere (to write). In the preterite, the tú form is describiste, while other key forms are describí (yo), describió (él/ella/usted), describimos (nosotros), describisteis (vosotros), and describieron (ellos/ellas/ustedes). The tú form is regular in pattern for this verb in the preterite, though other persons show the standard irregularities of the -ir preterite in third person.

Grammar notes: describir is a transitive verb, so describiste requires a direct object to complete its meaning (describiste algo, a alguien, una escena, un paisaje, etc.). The preterite tense conveys a completed past action, often in narrative recounts or reports of past events. As with most Spanish preterite forms, it is used to situate a description within a past timeframe, distinct from the imperfect or present tenses.

Examples:

- Ayer describiste el cuadro con gran detalle.

- ¿Qué describiste en la carta?

- Describiste las características del producto a los clientes.