era
imperfect, ser
"Was" has no single Spanish word. Use era or fue from ser for what something was, and estaba or estuvo from estar for a state or place.
Meaning: past tense of to be (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| era | imperfect, ser |
| estaba | imperfect, estar |
| fue | preterite, ser |
| estuvo | preterite, estar |
Era describes how things used to be, as in Era alto. Fue marks a finished event, as in La fiesta fue ayer.
Which one should you use?
Choose ser for identity and traits and estar for location and temporary condition. Estaba cansado means "I was tired".
How does it change in a sentence?
For él or ella the imperfect forms are era and estaba. The preterite forms are fue and estuvo.
Did you know?
- Ser and estar both become "to be" in English, so one English word like "was" splits into four common Spanish forms.
Examples in context
- Mi abuelo era profesor.My grandfather was a teacher.
- La fiesta fue en mi casa.The party was at my house.
- Estaba muy cansada anoche.She was very tired last night.
Example conversation
Rosa asks Javier about last weekend.
- Rosa¿Dónde estabas el sábado?Where were you on Saturday?
- JavierEstaba en casa de mi tío.I was at my uncle's house.
- Rosa¿Cómo fue la comida?How was the meal?
