The preterite of estar is used to express a state of being that occurred for a specific duration in the past. For example, when you want to say “I was at the party for two hours” – “Estuve en la fiesta por dos horas.”
This is an irregular verb in the preterite tense. The stem changes to ‘estuv-‘ throughout all conjugations, making it one of the essential irregular verbs to memorize.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Estar (to be) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | estuve |
| Tú | estuviste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | estuvo |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | estuvimos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | estuvisteis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | estuvieron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Estar (to be) in the Preterite (Past) Tense to help you learn faster.
Pro Tip: Play the audio on a loop as you study the chart. This repetition will solidify the correct conjugations in your memory.
Usage of Estar in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The Preterite of estar indicates completed states or presence in specific situations.
To be (temporary state): Describes being in a specific state or location for a defined period, for example Estuve enfermo por tres días (I was sick for three days), or Estuvieron en la reunión (They were at the meeting).
Examples
Examples of Estar in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Estuve enfermo toda la semana. (I was sick all week.)
¿Dónde estuviste ayer? (Where were you yesterday?)
La fiesta estuvo increíble. (The party was incredible.)
Estuvimos en la playa todo el día. (We were at the beach all day.)
Los niños estuvieron muy tranquilos. (The children were very quiet.)
¿Estuviste en la reunión? (Were you at the meeting?)
El clima estuvo perfecto. (The weather was perfect.)
Estuvimos preocupados por ti. (We were worried about you.)
¿Por qué estuviste tan callado? (Why were you so quiet?)
La comida estuvo deliciosa. (The food was delicious.)
Estuve ocupado todo el día. (I was busy all day.)
Los estudiantes estuvieron muy atentos. (The students were very attentive.)
Estuvo ausente toda la semana. (He/she was absent all week.)
Estuvimos de acuerdo con la decisión. (We were in agreement with the decision.)
¿Dónde estuvieron durante la tormenta? (Where were they during the storm?)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Estar (to be) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo estuve | I was |
| Tú estuviste | You were |
| Él / Ella / Usted estuvo | He / She / You (formal) was |
| Nosotros / Nosotras estuvimos | We were |
| Vosotros / Vosotras estuvisteis | You all were |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes estuvieron | They / You all (formal) were |
This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here
Synonyms
The Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Past Simple, Definite Past, Absolute Past, or Past Tense Indicative in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Simple, Pasado Simple, or Pretérito de Indicativo in Spanish.