Hablé con el caballero.

I spoke with the gentleman.

Breakdown of Hablé con el caballero.

• con: with
• hablar: to speak
• el caballero: the gentleman

Questions & Answers about Hablé con el caballero.

Why is there an accent on hablé?

The accent mark shows that the stress falls on the last syllable: ha-BLÉ.

It also helps distinguish this form from other forms of hablar:

• hablé = I spoke / I talked
• hable = a different form, such as the present subjunctive (that I speak) or a formal command (speak)

So the accent is not optional here; it is part of the correct spelling.

What tense is hablé?

Hablé is the first-person singular preterite form of hablar.

That means:

• first person singular = I
• preterite = a completed action in the past

So hablé is the form used for I spoke / I talked when referring to a finished event.

Examples:

• Ayer hablé con ella. = I spoke with her yesterday.
• Esta mañana hablé con el profesor. = I spoke with the teacher this morning.

Why is hablé used instead of an imperfect form like hablaba?