Learn Spanish (Latin America): Ayer patiné en el parque.

Ayer patiné en el parque.

Yesterday I skated in the park.

Breakdown of Ayer patiné en el parque.

Questions & Answers about Ayer patiné en el parque.

How do we know patiné means "I skated" if the word "yo" isn't in the sentence?

Patiné comes from the regular verb patinar (to skate). In the preterite tense, which we use for completed past actions, the -é ending specifically means "I" did it. Because the ending gives it away, it is very common in Spanish to drop the pronoun yo.

Why is the accent mark on the "e" in patiné so important?

It tells you to stress the final syllable (pah-tee-NEH), which is the standard pronunciation pattern for "yo" in this past tense. If you forget the accent and say patine, it sounds like a completely different verb tense! Always pay close attention to written accents in the past tense.

Does patinar mean roller skating, ice skating, or skateboarding?

It can mean any of them! Patinar is a general verb for skating. If you need to be specific, you can add more details, like patinar sobre hielo for ice skating. For skateboarding, it is also very common to say andar en patineta.

Why is the word ayer a big clue for the tense used in this sentence?

Ayer means "yesterday." Because yesterday is a specific timeframe that is completely finished, it acts as a massive clue that you need to use the preterite tense for whatever happened during that time.