fue un accidente
/fwe un aɡθidente/from spelling rules
fue un accidente is the Spanish way to say "it was an accident".
This phrase is used to state that something happened unintentionally or by chance. While fue un accidente is a direct way to name the event, you may also use fue sin querer to emphasize that an action was done without intent.
Which one should you use?
If you were to use era instead, you would be implying a continuous state or providing a description of a background situation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, if you want to express that something accidentally slipped from your hands or dropped, you can use the expression Se me cayó.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the preterite tense fue to describe a completed event in the past.
Did you know?
- The word accidente shares a root with the English word 'accident', but in Spanish, it is more commonly used in medical contexts to describe a sudden health crisis, such as accidente cerebrovascular for a stroke.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying fue sin querer can function as a social 'magic phrase' to soften a mistake, effectively shifting the blame from the person to the action itself.
- To describe a clumsy accident, Spanish speakers use the word torpe, which describes both the person who caused the accident and the action itself.
Examples in context
- Ya te dije que fue un accidente.I already told you it was an accident.This sentence is useful for reinforcing that you have already stated the event was an accident using fue un accidente.Tatoeba #2292559 by hayastan, translation #2291647 by CK
- Estoy segura de que fue un accidente.I'm sure it was an accident.This sentence is useful for expressing certainty that the event was an accident using fue un accidente.Tatoeba #3008465 by hayastan, translation #2543473 by CK
- Estamos seguros de que fue un accidente.We're sure that it was an accident.Tatoeba #5724661 by arh, translation #5720732 by CK
- Fue sin querer, no lo hice a propósito.It was unintentional, I didn't do it on purpose.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro accidentally breaks a vase in María's house.
- AlejandroLo siento, fue un accidente.I'm sorry, it was an accident.
- MaríaNo te preocupes, Alejandro.Don't worry, Alejandro.
- AlejandroRealmente no fue mi intención.It really wasn't my intention.
- MaríaEstá bien, no pasa nada.It's okay, it's nothing.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
