que era
/ke eɾa/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "which was" can be translated as que era.
This phrase is used as a relative clause to provide additional information about a person or a thing in the past.
Which one should you use?
Use que era for descriptions or ongoing states in the past. Use que fue if the "which was" refers to a completed event or a specific point in time. If the phrase refers to an entire preceding clause or a whole situation rather than a specific noun, use lo que era instead of just que era.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form que era uses the imperfect tense, which is used for descriptions and ongoing states in the past.
How do you pronounce it?
/ke eɾa/
Did you know?
- The word que is a distant relative of the English word 'who'. Both share a root from the Proto-Indo-European language that began with a specific sound known as a labiovelar.
- Spanish distinguishes between que era and que fue based on the 'shape' of time. Que era treats the past like a photo or a landscape, while que fue treats it like a point on a timeline.
- In English, 'who' and 'which' are distinct, but the Spanish word que is a linguistic chameleon that can cover 'who', 'which', and 'that' depending on the context.
Examples in context
- Ella dijo que estaba en cama enferma, lo que era mentira.She said she was ill in bed, which was a lie.This sentence is useful for showing how to use que era when referring to a situation being a lie.Tatoeba #1546866 by marcelostockle, translation #316687 by CK
- Esa bicicleta, la que era muy rápida, la vendí hace un año.That bicycle, which was very fast, I sold a year ago.
- Compré un libro que era muy antiguo.I bought a book which was very old.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are talking about a movie they saw last week.
- ElenaLa película terminó con una escena que era triste.The movie ended with a scene which was sad.
- AlejandroSí, yo también lloré un poco.Yes, I cried a little too.
- Elena¿Te gustó el actor principal?Did you like the lead actor?
- AlejandroSí, su actuación fue excelente.Yes, his acting was excellent.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries era, que, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
