Estar and Ser in imperfect tense

I just ran across a flash card that translated "We were sad" to:

Eramos tristes

But in the present tense, you would use estar, right? When do I use estar and ser in the imperfect tense?

Thanks for your help.

AldenG

Asked by aldeng - 19:07 27/07/10
Lives in United States. Learns: Spanish (Beginner)

11 Answers

Jamás decimos "soy triste", decimos "estoy triste" o "estaba triste"

SER = esencia (algo que no cambia) Ej: La manzana es verde (the apple is green)

ESTAR = condición (algo que puede cambiar) Ej: La manzana está verde (the apple is unripe)

En todos los tiempos, es la misma regla.

Answered by Mariana - 23:09 30/09/10
Lives in Argentina. Learns: English (Beginner)

we use SER TRISTE* when is a description an ESTAR TRISTE* like a mood

yo soy un chico triste y llorón.

yo estoy triste, porque me engañaste.

Answered by xavii - 11:08 31/08/10
Lives in Spain. Learns: English (Intermediate)

It looks like the flash card probably should have been "estabamos tristes". But, I could see a context with "Ser", IF you wanted to imply that you were a very sad person (all the time) as a characteristic. However, that's a rare case so it would probably be best to use estar.

Keep in mind some things can be used with ser and estar, but their meanings change:
Esta aburrido = He is bored (right now).
Es aburrido = He is boring (always).

This distinction would be the same through all tenses, it just depends on what you want to say.

Answered by kariwen - 14:08 12/08/10
Lives in United States. Learns: Spanish (Intermediate)

creo que la tarjeta debía decir: ESTABAMOS TRISTES. cuando utilizas ESTAR es porque las situaciones pueden variar. Por ejemplo: YO ESTOY TRISTE ( ahora) y despuén de un tiempo yo puedo decir YO ESTABA TRISTE (porque ya la tristeza pasó).

Ahora bien, cuando utilizas SOY es porque hablas de algo que no va cambiar: Por ejemplo: YO SOY MUJER. YO SOY COLOMBIANA.

Espero poder despejar un poco tu duda.

Escribo en español porque mi inglés es básico.

Answered by katesol - 15:07 29/07/10
Lives in Colombia. Learns: English (Beginner)

... ayuda Supongo que necesito más

Answered by aldeng - 00:07 29/07/10
Lives in United States. Learns: Spanish (Beginner)

Muchas gracias por la ayurda

Answered by aldeng - 00:07 29/07/10
Lives in United States. Learns: Spanish (Beginner)

We were sad = (Nosotros) estuvimos tristes or (Nosotros) estábamos tristes.

Yo estuve triste/Yo estaba triste

El estuvo triste/ El estaba triste

Tú estabas triste/ Tú estuviste triste

Ellos estaban tristes/ Ellos estuvieron tristes

Answered by takana - 21:07 28/07/10
Lives in Peru. Learns: English (Intermediate)

la diferencia entreSer y Estar se mantiene en todos los tiempos verbales

Estaré triste si no vienes

Estoy triste " " "

Estuve triste toda la tarde

Era una ciudad triste

Fue un hombre triste

Será un día triste

Answered by mariadelao - 16:07 28/07/10
Lives in Spain. Learns: English (Beginner)

Wait a minute, I think I copied the flashcard wrong (created flashcard set from another web site). I think is was really meant to say Estábamos tristes. So that makes more sense, right?

Answered by aldeng - 19:07 27/07/10
Lives in United States. Learns: Spanish (Beginner)

That's what I thought, until I saw that flashcard

Now, assuming sadness is (was) temporary, wouldn't it be:

¿Estábamos tristes?

Or do these rules change in the imperfect tense?

Answered by aldeng - 19:07 27/07/10
Lives in United States. Learns: Spanish (Beginner)

Estar and Ser in imperfect tense

11 Answers

Your Answer