Prendido o Preso?

Question

I came across "habían prendido fuego" which I translated as "had caught fire". Then I looked up prendido in the dictionary which told me it was the past participle of prendAr.
But I don't think it us. Look up "prendar" and its pp is given as prendAdo as you would expect.
However, look up "prender", to "catch", and it gives its pp as "preso"!!
Looking at other sites (incuding RAE) the pp of prender is given as "prendido", which is the word in my original phrase.
Finally, looking up "preso" one meaning given is the irregular pp of prender.
Accepting that "preso" must have existed, wouldn't it be better to give "prendido" in the dictionary conjugation of "prender" as the regular pp seems to be the one that is used now?

Hi Jespa...good to see you!! I changed the category to "website questions." Hopefully, we'll get a correction in the dictionary because of your post. - --Mariana--, Apr 18, 2010

Hi Marianne- nice to hear from you too! I'm a bit busy these days so don't have so much time to spend on the site, but I am still keeping my Spanish going. Cheers, - Jespa, Apr 18, 2010

Answer 1

Thanks, Jespa. You are definitely right. I have corrected the dictionary and conjugation files to display "prendido".

Great! - thanks Paralee. - Jespa, Apr 19, 2010

Answer 2

Jespa, good catch,

Participio

prendido

This is the participle, preso is an adjective use.