pegaron

Pegaron is the third-person plural preterite form of the Spanish verb pegar, used to describe a completed action in the past by subjects such as ellos, ellas, or ustedes. The verb pegar has several related senses, including to stick or glue, to paste, to affix, as well as to strike or hit. The exact meaning of pegaron depends on the context and the object that accompanies it.

In its adhesive sense, pegaron can describe attaching something to a surface: pegar un cartel, pegar una etiqueta, o pegar una foto en un cuaderno. In a physical sense, it can mean to strike or hit someone or something: pegaron a su oponente o pegaron una patada. The reflexive or semi-idiomatic use se pegaron un vistazo is common, meaning that they took a quick look at something.

Usage notes: pegaron appears in narrative or report contexts to indicate a completed past action. The sense is determined by the object and by broader context, with clear distinctions between adhesion, impact, and idiomatic expressions. Regional variations exist in how frequently each sense is used, and some phrases may be more common in certain dialects of Spanish.

Examples:

- Los estudiantes pegaron los carteles en la pared. (The students pasted the posters on the wall.)

- Anoche, pegaron un puñetazo al defensa. (Last night, they hit/punched the defender.)

- Se pegaron un vistazo al informe antes de la reunión. (They took a quick look at the report before the meeting.)

Overall, pegaron functions as a versatile past-tense form tied to multiple core meanings of pegar, with interpretation guided by context and accompanying objects.