eran
/eɾan/from spelling rules
In Spanish, 'they were' is translated as eran.
eran is the past tense of 'they are' used to describe characteristics or identities in the past.
Which one should you use?
Use eran instead of fueron when describing ongoing states, characteristics or identities in the past.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form eran is used for both masculine and feminine plural subjects (ellos/ellas).
How do you pronounce it?
/eɾan/
Did you know?
- If you use eran to describe the time of day in the past, such as saying 'it was three o'clock', the word remains plural even though 'the time' feels singular in English.
- Because eran comes from the verb ser, it describes an essence. If you wanted to say 'they were' to mean 'they were located' in a place, you would use estaban instead, as location is seen as a state rather than an identity.
- The form eran is part of the imperfect tense, which is often used in storytelling to set a scene. It functions like a cinematic 'zoom out' to describe the atmosphere or the characters' traits before the main action begins.
Examples in context
- Ellos eran un equipo.They were a team.This sentence demonstrates how to use eran to identify a group as a team.Tatoeba #13370263 by Lernema, translation #5758094 by CM
- Ellos eran mis amigos.They were my friends.This sentence shows how to use eran to describe a past relationship with friends.Tatoeba #3699717 by hayastan, translation #2647061 by CK
- Casi todas eran mujeres.They were mostly women.This sentence illustrates using eran to describe the identity of a group of people.Tatoeba #9706760 by Shishir, translation #305255 by CK
- Ellos fueron excelentes estudiantes.They were excellent students.
- Ellas fueron puntuales en la reunión.They were punctual in the meeting.
- Los invitados fueron muy amables.The guests were very kind.
- Ellos eran buenos amigos.They were good friends.
- Ellas eran vecinas muy amigables.They were very friendly neighbors.
- Mis compañeros de trabajo eran muy colaborativos.My coworkers were very collaborative.
- Ellas eran las mejores bailarinas del espectáculo.They were the best dancers in the show.
- Fueron muy amables conmigo durante mi estadía.They were very kind to me during my stay.
- Los conquistadores fueron valientes en la batalla.The conquerors were brave in the battle.
- 88 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are looking at old photos of their childhood school.
- Javier¿Recuerdas a esos niños?Do you remember those children?
- MaríaSí, ellos eran muy traviesos.Yes, they were very mischievous.
- JavierEs verdad, siempre estaban corriendo.That's true, they were always running.
- MaríaEran inolvidables.They were unforgettable.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
