Estar preterite conjugation
Estar in the preterite: estuve, estuviste, estuvo, estuvimos, estuvisteis, estuvieron.
- to be (location, condition, ongoing actions)
- irregular
- Participle: estado
- Gerund: estando
Preterite pretérito
| yo | estuve |
|---|---|
| tú | estuviste |
| él/ella/usted | estuvo |
| nosotros | estuvimos |
| vosotros | estuvisteis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | estuvieron |
How to use estar in the preterite
The preterite of estar uses the irregular stem estuv-: estuve, estuviste, estuvo, estuvimos, estuvieron. Note that estuve and estuvo have no accent. Use it for a stay or state with clear limits: how long you were somewhere, or a condition that ended. "Estuve enfermo toda la semana" frames the illness as a completed block of time.
Examples
Estuvimos en la feria comercial hasta el domingo.
We were at the trade show until Sunday.
El sistema estuvo caído dos horas.
The system was down for two hours.
¿Estuviste en la junta de ayer?
Were you at yesterday's meeting?
Quick check: estar in the preterite
More estar tenses
- All estar tenses
- Estar present
- Estar imperfect
- Estar future
- Estar conditional
- Estar present subjunctive
- Estar affirmative commands
Other verbs in the preterite
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