era tímido
/eɾa timido/from spelling rules
The English phrase "i was shy" is translated into Spanish as era tímido.
The phrase is used to describe a personality trait or a continuous state in the past.
Which one should you use?
era tímido describes a personality trait or a continuous state in the past, whereas fui tímido would imply a specific instance or a completed duration.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form era tímido uses the imperfect tense, which is used to describe ongoing states or characteristics in the past rather than specific actions. If the speaker is female, the adjective must change from tímido to tímida. Use fui tímido instead of era tímido if you are referring to a specific, completed period of time in the past that is now viewed as a closed chapter.
Did you know?
- While tímido describes a trait, Spanish speakers often use the phrase me dio vergüenza to describe the actual feeling of being shy in a specific moment.
- The word tímido descends from the Latin timeō, which means 'to fear'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the word tímido can be used as a gentle euphemism to describe someone who is socially anxious or introverted.
Examples in context
- Era tímido.I was shy.This sentence is useful for expressing the phrase era tímido.Tatoeba #9443885 by ignacio, translation #4695537 by Hybrid
- En mi infancia, era muy tímido/tímida, apenas me atrevía a hablar en público.In my childhood, I was very shy. I barely dared to speak in public.
- Cuando era adolescente, solía ser tan penoso/penosa que evitaba las fiestas.When I was a teenager, I used to be so painfully shy that I avoided parties.
- Antes era tan reservado/reservada que no me animaba a iniciar conversaciones.I used to be so reserved before that I didn't dare to start conversations.
- Cuando era niño, era tímido.When I was a child, I was shy.
- Yo era tímido en la escuela.I was shy in school.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are looking at old school photos.
- DanielYo era tímido en mis fotos antiguas.I was shy in my old photos.
- SofíaNo pareces tan tímido, Daniel.You don't look that shy, Daniel.
- DanielPero realmente era tímido con la gente.But I really was shy with people.
- SofíaEs difícil de creer.It is hard to believe.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries era, tímido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
