Learning Spanish One verb at a Time. Estar - Past; simple and imperfect + Imperfect subjunctive. 2

 

Learning Spanish

One Verb at a Time

Estar - To Be

Simple  & Imperfect past + Imperfect 

Subjunctive.

One verb at a Time is an exercise designed to help students reach their goals of learning Spanish fast and in a natural way, grammar is highly considered, but not first in our list.

Our Human Method works naturally helping students connect their first language, English to Spanish, directly; without getting distracted with grammar and grammar names, that is something We strongly recommend to do in order to improve from intermediate to advanced level of Spanish, in other words; We recommend to study grammar when you are intermediate B2 and want to become C1.

Simple Past - Pretérito simple del español

Situations having a clear beginning and end. Those can be implied or understood by speakers and might be omitted for that reason.

• Ayer estuve una hora en el parque. Yesterday, I was at the park for 1 hour. / I spent an hour in the park yesterday.

• ¿Estuviste en casa de Raul esta mañana?. Were you at Raul's house this morning?

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• Él estuvo en el trabajo todo el día. He was at work all day.

• Ella estuvo en el hospital con su mamá. She was in the hospital with her mom.

• Nunca antes estuve aquí. I have never been here before.*

• Estuve enferma todo el fin de semana. I was sick all weekend.

• Ellos estuvieron en la fiesta. They were at the party.

Imperfect Past: Context is the key - Pasado Imperfecto

Imperfect past is used in more situations than preterito perfecto simple, so we have included more phrases.

Estar can be part of other structures as past progressive, but although we have used some phrases written in P. progressive, for our article’s sake we put the focus on the conjugation of Estar alone.

Remember our Human Method encourages “absorbing grammar”, in subtle ways, through the comprehension and use of complete phrases.

• Yo estaba en el parque cuando me llamaste. I was at the park when you called me.

• ¿Dónde estabas?  Where were you?

• ¿Dónde estaban cuando comenzó a llover?  Where were you when it started to rain?

• Nosotros estábamos en la playa. We were at the beach (when it started to rain.)

• ¿Ustedes estaban en el cine cuando se fue la luz?  Were you at the movies when the power went out.

• Mi madre estaba muy preocupada por mi hermano. My mother was very worried about my brother.

• La comida de mi abuela estaba deliciosa. My grandmother's food was delicious.

• Yo estaba en la escuela mientras mi hermano estaba en la casa. I was at school while my brother was at home.

• Mi hija estaba muy feliz por el viaje. My daughter was very happy about the trip.

• Todos estaban nerviosos durante el juego. Everyone was nervous during the trip.

Subjunctive: Opinion & Perception - Emotion & Desire

Imperfect subjunctive is a very versatile conjugation with which we express emotions, our opinion and many emotions. It is always accompanied by phrases that allow it to make sense.

It is important to know that these phrases can be identified in English and for this reason we use the Italics to indicate them in both languages so that when you need to use these phrases, you know that you must use the subjunctive.

• Ojalá que estuvieras aquí conmigo. I wish you were here with me.(Hypothetical Present)

• Era importante que estuvieran presentes en la reunión. It was important that they were present at the meeting.

• Dudaba que estuvieran diciendo la verdad. I doubted that they were telling the truth.

• Me alegré de que estuvieras allí. I was glad you were there.

• No me gustó que estuvieran hablando a mis espaldas. I didn't like that they were talking behind my back.

• Ojalá que no estuviera enfermo. I wish I wasn’t sick.

• Yo no sé qué haría si  estuviera en tus zapatos. I don’t know what I would do if I were in your shoes.

• Siempre quise que estuvieran orgullosos de mí. I always wanted them to be proud of me.

• Me hubiera encantado que estuvieran aquí para celebrar mi cumpleaños. I would have loved them to be here to celebrate my birthday

• No me gustó que estuvieran jugando con eso. I didn't like that they were playing with that.

Verb To Be is used differently in English and Spanish, that is the first thing we must understand. Understanding all of the differences between both languages opens the gates to a whole new culture and wisdom, a totally different way to see the world. Espero que estemos de acuerdo. - I hope we agree.

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