masticó

Masticó is the third-person singular form of the Spanish verb masticar in the pretérito simple (simple past). It corresponds to “he chewed,” “she chewed,” or, in a formal address, “you chewed” (usted masticó). The verb masticar means to chew, either food or substances such as gum.

As a regular -ar verb, masticar in the pretérito simple follows the standard endings: yo masticé, tú masticaste, él/ella/usted masticó, nosotros masticamos, vosotros masticasteis, ellos/ellas/ustedes masticaron. Therefore, masticó is formed by removing the -ar and adding -ó.

Usage and nuance: masticó typically describes a completed chewing action in the past. Examples include “Ayer, él masticó una manzana” (Yesterday, he chewed an apple) or “La niña masticó chicle durante la historia” (The girl chewed gum during the story). The form can appear in narrative to convey a past moment or sequence of actions.

Etymology: masticar derives from Latin masticāre, which in turn traces to Greek mastikē, related to resin used for chewing (the mastic tree). The English cognate “masticate” reflects the same lineage.

See also: masticar, masticación, conjugación verbal, pretérito indefinido.