Two children, a boy and a girl, holding hands and laughing while standing in a grassy field, illustrating a past relationship or characteristic.

eran

/EH-rahn/

VerbA2irregular er

they were?describing characteristics, identity, or relationships,you all were?formal or plural 'you', describing past states

Also:it was?specifically for telling time, e.g., 'Eran las dos' (It was two o'clock)

Quick Reference

infinitiveser

gerundsiendo

past Participlesido

📝 In Action

Mis abuelos eran muy amables.

My grandparents were very kind.

De niños, ellos eran los mejores amigos.

As children, they were best friends.

Eran las diez de la noche cuando empezó a llover.

It was ten at night when it started to rain.

Ustedes eran los únicos que sabían el secreto.

You all were the only ones who knew the secret.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

Eran las... – It was... (for telling time)
Eran amigos – They were friends
Eran tiempos difíciles – They were difficult times

Idioms & Expressions

Érase una vez... – Once upon a time...

💡 Grammar Points

Describing the Past with 'Eran'

Use 'eran' to talk about what people or things were like over a period of time in the past. Think of it as painting a picture or setting the scene for a story, not describing a single, finished action. For example: 'Las casas eran viejas y grandes' (The houses were old and big).

'Eran' (from Ser) vs. 'Estaban' (from Estar)

Just like 'ser' and 'estar' mean 'to be' in the present, 'eran' and 'estaban' both mean 'they were' in the past. Use 'eran' for more permanent things like identity, occupation, or characteristics. Use 'estaban' for temporary states like location or feelings. 'Ellos eran doctores' (They were doctors) vs. 'Ellos estaban en el hospital' (They were in the hospital).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Choosing 'Eran' vs. 'Fueron'

Mistake: "Los dinosaurios fueron grandes."

Correction: Los dinosaurios eran grandes. Use 'eran' for descriptions of how things were. Use 'fueron' (the other past tense of 'ser') for completed events or to say what someone/something was for a defined time, like 'Fueron los ganadores' (They were the winners).

⭐ Usage Tips

Storytelling with 'Eran'

'Eran' is your best friend for starting a story. It sets the background. For example, you can start a story with: 'Eran los años 80. Las calles eran ruidosas y la gente era optimista.' (It was the 80s. The streets were noisy and the people were optimistic.)

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

yosoy

túeres

él/ella/ustedes

nosotrossomos

vosotrossois

ellos/ellas/ustedesson

preterite

yofui

túfuiste

él/ella/ustedfue

nosotrosfuimos

vosotrosfuisteis

ellos/ellas/ustedesfueron

imperfect

yoera

túeras

él/ella/ustedera

nosotroséramos

vosotroserais

ellos/ellas/ustedeseran

subjunctive

present

yosea

túseas

él/ella/ustedsea

nosotrosseamos

vosotrosseáis

ellos/ellas/ustedessean

imperfect

yofuera

túfueras

él/ella/ustedfuera

nosotrosfuéramos

vosotrosfuerais

ellos/ellas/ustedesfueran

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: eran

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly describes what your friends were like as people?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

ser(to be) - verb

esencia(essence) - noun

esencial(essential) - adjective

ente(entity, being) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'eran' and 'fueron'?

Think of it like this: 'eran' describes the background, and 'fueron' describes the action. Use 'eran' for descriptions ('The houses were old'). Use 'fueron' for completed events ('They were the champions').

Is 'eran' from the verb 'ser' (to be) or 'ir' (to go)?

'Eran' always comes from 'ser' (to be). The past form for 'ir' (to go) is different: 'iban'. So, 'ellos eran' means 'they were,' and 'ellos iban' means 'they were going.'

Can I use 'eran' for just one person?

No, 'eran' is for multiple people ('they' or 'you all'). For one person ('he', 'she', or the formal 'you'), you would use 'era'. For example, 'Él era mi profesor' (He was my teacher).