predecíais

Predecíais is a Spanish verb form used to indicate a past action in regions that employ the vosostros pronoun. Specifically, it is the second-person plural imperfect indicative of the verb predecir, meaning “you all predicted” or “you all used to predict.” In Latin American Spanish, where the vosostros form is uncommon, the corresponding imperfect is predecían with the ustedes form.

The form is built from the stem predecí- plus the imperfect endings for -er/-ir verbs. For vosotros in the imperfect, this yields predecíais, with the accent on í to preserve the stressed syllable. This contrasts with other tenses or forms of predecir, such as present predecís or the imperfect subjunctive predecierais (or predecíais is sometimes described as a regional or historical variant in some grammars).

Etymology: predecir derives from Latin prae- “before” and dicere “to say.” The sense is to say something beforehand, i.e., to predict or foretell.

Usage notes: Predecíais appears primarily in Spanish texts or speech that retain the vosostros form, such as literature, dialogues, or historical narrations from Spain. In modern standard Latin American Spanish, one would typically use ustedes predecían for the same meaning. The verb itself carries a sense of foresight or forecast in the past and is often found in narrative past contexts or indirect speech.

See also: predecir; imperfect indicative; vosotros forms; regional pronoun usage in Spanish.