significó

Significó is the third-person singular form of the Spanish verb significar in the pretérito simple (preterite). It translates to “it meant” or “he/she/it signified” in English and is used to indicate that something had a particular meaning, or that a past statement expressed a certain significance.

Usage and meaning

The verb significar is used to explain the meaning of words, phrases, symbols, events, or actions. In narrative or explanatory text, significó introduces what was meant by something that was said or shown. For example: “La palabra ‘rosa’ significó flor para el poeta.” or “La señal significó peligro.” It can also express that a past event implied a consequence or conclusion, as in: “Sus palabras significaron que no estaban de acuerdo.” The form significó appears in past narration to convey this past significance.

Etymology and grammar

Significar derives from Latin significare, combining signum (mark, sign) with -ficare (to make). In Spanish, significar is a regular -car verb, so its preterite forms include signifiqué (yo), significaste (tú), significó (él/ella/usted), significamos (nosotros), significasteis (vosotros), significaron (ellos/ellas/ustedes). The pronunciation and accent marks reflect standard Spanish stress rules. The noun meaning “meaning” is significado, and related forms cover other tenses of the verb as well as the concept of meaning.

Related forms

Beyond significar, related terms include significado (meaning), significación (signification), and other tenses of the verb such as significa (present), significaba (imperfect), and significará (future). The word is common in linguistic, literary, and journalistic contexts when clarifying what something denotes or implies.