Past Tense: Ser & Estar

Question 1

Which verb do you use when describing:
- characteristics
- identity/name
- profession
- nationality/origin
- description/physical description
- time
- the date
- location of events
- info about events

Answer 1

Ser
(soy, eres, es, somos + son)

*For location of events, an example: “El concierto es en el estadio.”

Question 2

Which verb do you use when describing:
- the location
- emotions/feelings
- state/status/condition

Answer 2

Estar
(estoy, estás, está, estamos + están)

Location: El banco está en la calle Market. Estoy en la cocina.

Emotion/Feeling: Ana está muy feliz. Estoy cansada.

Question 3

Which past tense is used for:
- isolated events
- specific times for events
- facts in a story (this happened, then this, then this, etc.)

Answer 3

Preterite/Indefinido

Question 4

Which past tense is used for:
- descriptions of people or things (in which you would use “ser”)
- context or description of the situation of the story
- describing past routines, what you “used to do”
- simultaneous actions that happen at the same time
- interrupted actions/actions in progress that were interrupted (-ing verbs)

Answer 4

Imperfect

Simultaneous action: Ana estaba en el jardín y Juan estaba en la cocina.

Interruptions: Estaba estudiando cuando llamaste. (The action in progress will be imperfect; the interruption will be preterite/indefinido)

Question 5

(yo) era
(tú) eras
(él) era
(nosotros) éramos
(ellos) eran

Answer 5

imperfect tense of “ser”

Question 6

(yo) fui
(tú) fuiste
(él) fue
(nosotros) fuimos
(ellos) fueron

Answer 6

preterite tense of “ser”

Question 7

(yo) estaba
(tú) estabas
(él) estaba
(nosotros) estábamos
(ellos) estaban

Answer 7

imperfect tense of “estar”

Question 8

(yo) estuve
(tú) estuviste
(él) estuvo
(nosotros) estuvimos
(ellos) estuvieron

Answer 8

preterite tense of “estar”