Mastering “Steal” in Spanish Past Tense: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding how to conjugate verbs in the past tense is crucial for expressing actions that have already occurred. In Spanish, the verb “robar” (to steal) is a common and important verb to learn. This article provides a comprehensive guide to conjugating “robar” in various past tenses, including the preterite, imperfect, and other less common forms. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, this guide will help you confidently use “robar” in past tense contexts. We will cover the rules, exceptions, and provide plenty of examples and practice exercises to solidify your understanding.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Definition of “Robar”
• Structural Breakdown of Past Tense Conjugations
• Preterite Tense
  • Preterite Conjugation of “Robar”
  • Preterite Examples
• Imperfect Tense
  • Imperfect Conjugation of “Robar”
  • Imperfect Examples
• Perfect Tenses (Pretérito Perfecto)
  • Present Perfect
  • Past Perfect (Pluperfect)
  • Future Perfect
• Other Past Tenses
  • Preterite Anterior (Past Anterior)
  • Conditional Perfect
• Usage Rules
• Common Mistakes
• Practice Exercises
• Advanced Topics
• FAQ
• Conclusion

Definition of “Robar”

The Spanish verb robar translates to “to steal” or “to rob” in English. It is a regular -AR verb, which means its conjugation follows standard patterns. Understanding its conjugation in different tenses is essential for accurately describing past actions involving theft or robbery. The verb is used to describe the act of taking something that does not belong to you, often without permission or by force. It can also be used metaphorically to describe stealing something intangible, like attention or a kiss.

In a grammatical sense, robar is a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object. The direct object is the thing that is stolen. For example, in the sentence “Él robó el banco,” “el banco” (the bank) is the direct object. Recognizing the verb’s transitivity helps in constructing grammatically correct sentences.

Structural Breakdown of Past Tense Conjugations

Spanish verbs are conjugated based on the verb’s infinitive ending (-ar, -er, -ir) and the tense being used. For regular verbs like robar, the stem remains consistent, and the endings change according to the tense and the subject pronoun. The past tenses, particularly the preterite and imperfect, have specific endings that need to be memorized. Additionally, perfect tenses involve using the auxiliary verb haber (to have) conjugated in the appropriate tense, followed by the past participle of robar, which is robado.

Understanding the structure is crucial for forming correct conjugations. For instance, in the preterite tense, the endings for -AR verbs are -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, and -aron. In the imperfect tense, the endings are -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, and -aban. These endings are added to the stem of the verb, which in the case of robar is rob-.

Preterite Tense

The preterite tense (pretérito indefinido) is used to describe completed actions in the past. It indicates a specific event that had a clear beginning and end. It’s often used to narrate events or describe actions that happened at a particular point in time. This tense is crucial for recounting stories and detailing specific past occurrences.

Preterite Conjugation of “Robar”

Here’s the conjugation of robar in the preterite tense:

• Yo robé (I stole)
• Tú robaste (You stole)
• Él/Ella/Usted robó (He/She/You (formal) stole)
• Nosotros/Nosotras robamos (We stole)
• Vosotros/Vosotras robasteis (You (plural, informal) stole)
• Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes robaron (They/You (plural, formal) stole)

Preterite Examples

The following table provides various sentences using robar in the preterite tense to illustrate its usage in different contexts. Notice how each sentence describes a completed action in the past.

Subject Pronoun	Sentence	Translation
Yo	Yo robé una manzana de la tienda.	I stole an apple from the store.
Tú	Tú robaste mi corazón.	You stole my heart.
Él	Él robó el banco ayer.	He robbed the bank yesterday.
Ella	Ella robó la atención de todos.	She stole everyone’s attention.
Usted	Usted robó información confidencial.	You (formal) stole confidential information.
Nosotros	Nosotros robamos la idea sin querer.	We stole the idea unintentionally.
Vosotros	Vosotros robasteis las galletas del tarro.	You (plural, informal) stole the cookies from the jar.
Ellos	Ellos robaron los coches.	They stole the cars.
Ellas	Ellas robaron los diamantes.	They stole the diamonds.
Ustedes	Ustedes robaron el show.	You (plural, formal) stole the show.
Yo	Yo robé un beso.	I stole a kiss.
Tú	Tú robaste la oportunidad.	You stole the opportunity.
Él	Él robó el secreto.	He stole the secret.
Ella	Ella robó mi cartera.	She stole my wallet.
Usted	Usted robó mis datos.	You (formal) stole my data.
Nosotros	Nosotros robamos la victoria.	We stole the victory.
Vosotros	Vosotros robasteis el premio.	You (plural, informal) stole the prize.
Ellos	Ellos robaron mis zapatos.	They stole my shoes.
Ellas	Ellas robaron mi coche.	They stole my car.
Ustedes	Ustedes robaron mi tiempo.	You (plural, formal) stole my time.

Imperfect Tense

The imperfect tense (pretérito imperfecto) is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. It portrays actions that were in progress, repeated, or described states of being. It is often used to set the scene, describe what someone used to do, or express what was happening when something else occurred. This tense provides context and background information in past narratives.

Imperfect Conjugation of “Robar”

Here’s the conjugation of robar in the imperfect tense:

• Yo robaba (I used to steal/I was stealing)
• Tú robabas (You used to steal/You were stealing)
• Él/Ella/Usted robaba (He/She/You (formal) used to steal/was stealing)
• Nosotros/Nosotras robábamos (We used to steal/We were stealing)
• Vosotros/Vosotras robabais (You (plural, informal) used to steal/were stealing)
• Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes robaban (They/You (plural, formal) used to steal/were stealing)

Imperfect Examples

The following table provides sentences using robar in the imperfect tense. These examples will help you understand how to use the imperfect tense to describe habitual or ongoing actions in the past.

Subject Pronoun	Sentence	Translation
Yo	Yo robaba dulces cuando era niño.	I used to steal candies when I was a child.
Tú	Tú robabas mi paz con tus mentiras.	You were stealing my peace with your lies.
Él	Él robaba flores del jardín de la vecina.	He used to steal flowers from the neighbor’s garden.
Ella	Ella robaba miradas a su amor secreto.	She was stealing glances at her secret love.
Usted	Usted robaba el dinero de la empresa.	You (formal) were stealing money from the company.
Nosotros	Nosotros robábamos tiempo al trabajo para jugar.	We used to steal time from work to play.
Vosotros	Vosotros robabais las manzanas del árbol.	You (plural, informal) were stealing apples from the tree.
Ellos	Ellos robaban autos en la ciudad.	They used to steal cars in the city.
Ellas	Ellas robaban joyas en el centro comercial.	They were stealing jewelry in the mall.
Ustedes	Ustedes robaban la identidad de otras personas.	You (plural, formal) were stealing other people’s identities.
Yo	Yo robaba la señal del vecino.	I used to steal the neighbor’s signal.
Tú	Tú robabas mi lapiz.	You were stealing my pencil.
Él	Él robaba el pan de la mesa.	He used to steal the bread from the table.
Ella	Ella robaba mi ropa.	She was stealing my clothes.
Usted	Usted robaba mi paciencia.	You (formal) were stealing my patience.
Nosotros	Nosotros robábamos sonrisas a la gente.	We used to steal smiles from people.
Vosotros	Vosotros robabais mi inspiración.	You (plural, informal) were stealing my inspiration.
Ellos	Ellos robaban los asientos.	They used to steal the seats.
Ellas	Ellas robaban las ideas.	They were stealing the ideas.
Ustedes	Ustedes robaban los secretos.	You (plural, formal) were stealing the secrets.

Perfect Tenses (Pretérito Perfecto)

Perfect tenses in Spanish combine the auxiliary verb haber (to have) with the past participle of the main verb (in this case, robado). These tenses are used to describe actions that have been completed at a certain point in time. The most common perfect tenses are the present perfect, past perfect (pluperfect), and future perfect.

Present Perfect

The present perfect (pretérito perfecto compuesto) is used to describe actions that started in the past and continue to have relevance or effect in the present. It’s formed with the present tense of haber + robado.

• Yo he robado (I have stolen)
• Tú has robado (You have stolen)
• Él/Ella/Usted ha robado (He/She/You (formal) has stolen)
• Nosotros/Nosotras hemos robado (We have stolen)
• Vosotros/Vosotras habéis robado (You (plural, informal) have stolen)
• Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes han robado (They/You (plural, formal) have stolen)

Example: “He robado un beso hoy.” (I have stolen a kiss today.)

Past Perfect (Pluperfect)

The past perfect (pretérito pluscuamperfecto), also known as the pluperfect, describes an action that had been completed before another action in the past. It’s formed with the imperfect tense of haber + robado.

• Yo había robado (I had stolen)
• Tú habías robado (You had stolen)
• Él/Ella/Usted había robado (He/She/You (formal) had stolen)
• Nosotros/Nosotras habíamos robado (We had stolen)
• Vosotros/Vosotras habíais robado (You (plural, informal) had stolen)
• Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes habían robado (They/You (plural, formal) had stolen)

Example: “Ya había robado el banco cuando llegó la policía.” (I had already robbed the bank when the police arrived.)

Future Perfect

The future perfect (futuro perfecto) describes an action that will have been completed by a certain time in the future. It’s formed with the future tense of haber + robado.

• Yo habré robado (I will have stolen)
• Tú habrás robado (You will have stolen)
• Él/Ella/Usted habrá robado (He/She/You (formal) will have stolen)
• Nosotros/Nosotras habremos robado (We will have stolen)
• Vosotros/Vosotras habréis robado (You (plural, informal) will have stolen)
• Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes habrán robado (They/You (plural, formal) will have stolen)

Example: “Para mañana, ya habré robado todos los corazones.” (By tomorrow, I will have stolen all the hearts.)

Other Past Tenses

Besides the preterite, imperfect, and perfect tenses, there are other less commonly used past tenses in Spanish, such as the preterite anterior and conditional perfect. While not as frequently used in everyday conversation, understanding these tenses can enhance your comprehension of more complex texts and literature.

Preterite Anterior (Past Anterior)

The preterite anterior (pretérito anterior) is used to describe an action that was completed immediately before another past action. It is formed with the preterite tense of haber + robado. This tense is mostly found in formal writing.

• Yo hube robado (I had stolen)
• Tú hubiste robado (You had stolen)
• Él/Ella/Usted hubo robado (He/She/You (formal) had stolen)
• Nosotros/Nosotras hubimos robado (We had stolen)
• Vosotros/Vosotras hubisteis robado (You (plural, informal) had stolen)
• Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes hubieron robado (They/You (plural, formal) had stolen)

Example: “Apenas hube robado el collar, sonó la alarma.” (As soon as I had stolen the necklace, the alarm rang.)

Conditional Perfect

The conditional perfect (condicional compuesto) describes what would have happened if a certain condition had been met in the past. It’s formed with the conditional tense of haber + robado.

• Yo habría robado (I would have stolen)
• Tú habrías robado (You would have stolen)
• Él/Ella/Usted habría robado (He/She/You (formal) would have stolen)
• Nosotros/Nosotras habríamos robado (We would have stolen)
• Vosotros/Vosotras habríais robado (You (plural, informal) would have stolen)
• Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes habrían robado (They/You (plural, formal) would have stolen)

Example: “Habría robado el banco si no tuviera miedo.” (I would have robbed the bank if I weren’t afraid.)

Usage Rules

The use of past tenses in Spanish depends heavily on the context and the speaker’s intention. The preterite is used for completed actions with a clear beginning and end. The imperfect is used for ongoing, habitual, or descriptive actions in the past. Perfect tenses combine the auxiliary verb haber with the past participle to indicate completed actions with relevance to a specific time frame.

For example, use the preterite to say “He robbed the store yesterday” (“Él robó la tienda ayer”). Use the imperfect to say “He used to rob stores when he was young” (“Él robaba tiendas cuando era joven”). Use the present perfect to say “He has robbed three stores this month” (“Él ha robado tres tiendas este mes”). Understanding these nuances is crucial for accurate and natural communication.

Remember these key points when using past tenses of robar:

• Preterite: Completed actions in the past.
• Imperfect: Ongoing, habitual, or descriptive actions in the past.
• Present Perfect: Actions completed in the past with relevance to the present.
• Past Perfect: Actions completed before another past action.
• Future Perfect: Actions that will be completed by a certain time in the future.

Common Mistakes

One common mistake is confusing the preterite and imperfect tenses. Remember that the preterite is for specific, completed actions, while the imperfect is for ongoing or habitual actions. Another common mistake is incorrect conjugation of the auxiliary verb haber in perfect tenses. Always double-check the conjugation of haber to ensure accuracy.

Here are some examples of common mistakes and their corrections:

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
Yo robaba la tienda ayer.	Yo robé la tienda ayer.	“Ayer” indicates a specific completed action, so the preterite is needed.
Él ha robó el banco.	Él ha robado el banco.	The past participle is “robado,” not “robó.”
Nosotros hubimos robando.	Nosotros habíamos robado.	The past perfect uses the imperfect of “haber” + “robado.”
Tu has robado mi corazon.	Tú has robado mi corazón.	Correct conjugation of “Tú” with “haber” is “has.”
Ellos habian robó.	Ellos habían robado.	Past participle of robar is robado, not robó.

Practice Exercises

Test your understanding of robar in the past tense with these practice exercises. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of robar in the tense indicated.

1. Ayer, yo ________ (preterite) una bicicleta.
2. Cuando era niño, él ________ (imperfect) dulces de la tienda.
3. Nosotros ya ________ (past perfect) todo el dinero antes de que llegara la policía.
4. Tú ________ (preterite) mi corazón.
5. Ellos ________ (imperfect) información confidencial todos los días.
6. Ustedes ________ (present perfect) la atención de todos.
7. Ella ________ (preterite) la joya más valiosa.
8. Yo ________ (conditional perfect) el banco si no tuviera miedo.
9. Antes de que te conociera, yo ________ (imperfect) muy solo.
10. Para el año que viene, nosotros ________ (future perfect) todos los bancos del mundo.

Answers:

1. robé
2. robaba
3. habíamos robado
4. robaste
5. robaban
6. han robado
7. robó
8. habría robado
9. robaba
10. habremos robado

Exercise 2: Translate the following sentences into Spanish using the correct past tense form of “robar.”

1. I stole the keys. (Preterite)
2. You used to steal my toys. (Imperfect)
3. He had already stolen the car. (Past Perfect)
4. We have stolen the show. (Present Perfect)
5. They would have stolen the painting. (Conditional Perfect)
6. She stole a kiss. (Preterite)
7. I was stealing glances at him. (Imperfect)
8. They had stolen all the cookies. (Past Perfect)
9. You (formal) have stolen my heart. (Present Perfect)
10. By tomorrow, I will have stolen the treasure. (Future Perfect)

Answers:

1. Yo robé las llaves.
2. Tú robabas mis juguetes.
3. Él ya había robado el coche.
4. Nosotros hemos robado el espectáculo.
5. Ellos habrían robado la pintura.
6. Ella robó un beso.
7. Yo robaba miradas a él.
8. Ellos habían robado todas las galletas.
9. Usted ha robado mi corazón.
10. Para mañana, habré robado el tesoro.

Exercise 3: Choose the correct tense (Preterite or Imperfect) for each sentence.

Sentence	Preterite	Imperfect	Answer
Ayer, él ________ el banco.	robó	robaba	robó
Cuando era joven, yo ________ manzanas del árbol.	robé	robaba	robaba
Mientras ella ________, sonó la alarma.	robó	robaba	robaba
En ese momento, ellos ________ la tienda.	robaron	robaban	robaban
La semana pasada, nosotros ________ un coche.	robamos	robábamos	robamos
Todos los días, ella ________ flores.	robó	robaba	robaba
Un día, él ________ una bicicleta.	robó	robaba	robó
Siempre ________ mi comida.	robó	robaba	robaba
De repente, ellos ________ el banco.	robaron	robaban	robaron
Cuando vivía allí, ella ________ los corazones.	robó	robaba	robaba

Advanced Topics

For advanced learners, exploring the subjunctive mood with robar can provide further depth. The subjunctive is often used in subordinate clauses expressing doubt, desire, or emotion. For instance, “Es importante que no robes” (It’s important that you don’t steal) uses the subjunctive form of robar.

Another advanced topic is the use of robar in idiomatic expressions. For example, “robar el show” means “to steal the show,” or to gain the most attention and praise. Understanding these idiomatic uses can enhance your fluency and comprehension of nuanced language.

Additionally, analyzing the historical evolution of the verb robar and its usage in different literary periods can provide a richer understanding of the language’s development. This involves studying older texts and comparing them with modern usage.

FAQ

1. What is the difference between the preterite and imperfect tenses?

   The preterite is used for completed actions in the past with a clear beginning and end, while the imperfect is used for ongoing, habitual, or descriptive actions in the past.

2. How do I form the past participle of robar?

   For regular -AR verbs like robar, the past participle is formed by replacing the -ar ending with -ado, resulting in robado.

3. When do I use the present perfect tense?

   The present perfect tense is used to describe actions that started in the past and continue to have relevance or effect in the present.

4. What is the role of the auxiliary verb haber in perfect tenses?

   The auxiliary verb haber is used in all perfect tenses to indicate that an action has been completed. It is conjugated in the appropriate tense (present, imperfect, future, etc.) and followed by the past participle of the main verb.

5. Can robar be used in a metaphorical sense?

   Yes, robar can be used metaphorically to describe stealing something intangible, like attention, a kiss, or an idea.

6. How do I avoid common mistakes when conjugating robar in the past tense?

   Pay close attention to the context of the sentence and choose the appropriate tense accordingly. Double-check the conjugation of haber in perfect tenses and ensure you are using the correct past participle form (robado).

7. What is the conditional perfect tense used for?

   The conditional perfect describes what would have happened if a certain condition had been met in the past. It expresses hypothetical past actions.

8. Is the preterite anterior commonly used in modern Spanish?

   No, the preterite anterior is not commonly used in modern spoken Spanish. It is more frequently found in formal writing and literature.

Conclusion

Mastering the past tenses of robar is essential for expressing a wide range of actions and events that have occurred in the past. By understanding the nuances of the preterite, imperfect, perfect tenses, and other less common forms, you can significantly improve your fluency and accuracy in Spanish. Remember to practice regularly, pay attention to context, and avoid common mistakes to confidently use robar in various past tense contexts.

Continue practicing with different exercises, reading Spanish texts, and engaging in conversations with native speakers to reinforce your understanding. With consistent effort and dedication, you will become proficient in using robar and other Spanish verbs in the past tense, allowing you to communicate effectively and accurately.