Conjugate caber and saber in the preterite tense in Spanish (El Pretérito Indefinido)

Written by qualified Spanish expert Ana Matilla MA, BA

Last updated: 2023-11-24

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Saber and caber are irregular in El Pretérito Indefinido in Spanish. Both follow the same pattern.

Learn how to conjugate "saber" in El Pretérito Indefinido in Spanish

	saber (to know)
yo	supe
tú	supiste
él / ella / Ud.	supo
nosotros / nosotras	supimos
vosotros / vosotras	supisteis
ellos / ellas / Uds.	supieron

Learn how to conjugate "caber" in El Pretérito Indefinido in Spanish

	caber (to fit)
yo	cupe
tú	cupiste
él / ella / Ud.	cupo
nosotros / nosotras	cupimos
vosotros / vosotras	cupisteis
ellos / ellas / Uds.	cupieron

Here are some examples to read and listen to:

No supe que decir.I didn't know what to say.

Tú no supiste la verdad hasta dos años después.You did not learn the truth until two years later.

La maleta no cupo en el coche.The suitcase did not fit in the car.

Nosotros cupimos bien en el avión.We fitted in the plane comfortably.

Vosotras supisteis los resultados muy pronto.You knew the results really early.

Los muebles cupieron en la casa.The furniture fitted in the house.

¿Ustedes no cupieron en esa sala tan pequeña?Did you not fit in that very small room?

Caber and saber belong to a group of verbs that all have an irregular stem but share the same set of endings. To learn more about this have a look at Irregulares en Indefinido/mismas terminaciones.

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