osó

Osó is the third-person singular preterite form of the Spanish verb osar, meaning "to dare." It is used to indicate that someone in the past dared to do something and is typically found in literary, historical, or formal contexts. In ordinary speech, speakers more commonly use synonyms like atreverse or daring constructions, but osar and its preterite form osó remain correct and recognizable, especially in written prose.

Etymology and usage

Osar derives from Latin ausus, the past participle of audere, "to dare." Over time, the sense of risking or venturing beyond the usual limits has remained central to the modern meaning. Osó, as a conjugated form, conveys a completed act of daring by a singular third-person subject (él/ella/usted). The verb osar is considered more formal or poetic today, and you may encounter it in historical narratives, poetry, or elevated prose.

Conjugation and examples

Conjugation in the simple past (preterite) for singular and plural subjects is: yo osé, tú osaste, él/ella/usted osó, nosotros osamos, vosotros osasteis, ellos osaron. Example sentences: "Él osó cuestionar la decisión." "La joven osó cruzar la calle." While Osar can also appear in other tenses and moods, osó specifically marks a completed daring action in the past.

See also

Osar (to dare); Spanish verb conjugation; examples of osar in historical or literary texts.