Mi hermana aprobó en la primera convocatoria y salió muy contenta del aula.

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Breakdown of Mi hermana aprobó en la primera convocatoria y salió muy contenta del aula.

• mi: my
• muy: very
• y: and

Questions & Answers about Mi hermana aprobó en la primera convocatoria y salió muy contenta del aula.

Why is aprobó used here instead of aprobaba?

Aprobó is the preterite form, which is used for a completed action in the past. In this sentence, the idea is that your sister passed at a specific moment or in a specific exam session.

• Mi hermana aprobó... = My sister passed...
• Mi hermana aprobaba... would usually suggest a repeated, ongoing, or background action, which does not fit as well here.

So aprobó is the natural choice because the sentence refers to a finished result.

Does aprobar really mean to approve here?

Not in this context. In Spanish, aprobar often means to pass an exam, subject, or course.

So:

• aprobar un examen = to pass an exam
• aprobar una asignatura = to pass a subject

It can also mean to approve in other contexts:

• El comité aprobó la propuesta. = The committee approved the proposal.

Here, because of convocatoria and the academic context, aprobar clearly means to pass.

What does la primera convocatoria mean in Spain?