estaba
“estaba” means “was” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
was
📝 In Action
Yo estaba en casa todo el día.
A1I was at home all day.
El libro estaba sobre la mesa.
A1The book was on the table.
¿Usted estaba en la oficina ayer?
A2Were you (formal) in the office yesterday?
was
Also: felt, seemed
📝 In Action
Ella estaba muy feliz con la noticia.
A2She was very happy with the news.
Yo estaba enfermo la semana pasada.
A2I was sick last week.
La puerta estaba abierta.
A2The door was open.
El café estaba demasiado caliente.
A2The coffee was too hot.
was (-ing)
📝 In Action
Yo estaba leyendo cuando sonó el teléfono.
A2I was reading when the phone rang.
Él estaba trabajando en el jardín.
A2He was working in the garden.
Cuando llegué, ella estaba cocinando.
B1When I arrived, she was cooking.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: estaba
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly describes someone's feeling in the past?
📚 More Resources
📚 Etymology▼
`Estaba` comes from the verb `estar`, which traces back to the Latin word `stāre`, meaning 'to stand'. Over time, its meaning expanded from just standing in a place to being in a place or a state.
First recorded: Forms of `stāre` have been used since ancient Rome; its use in Spanish has evolved over centuries.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'estaba' and 'estuvo'?
Think of it like this: `estaba` describes the background scene or an ongoing state in the past ('The sun was shining, and I was happy'). `Estuvo` describes a completed action or state within a specific timeframe ('He was sick for three days and then got better'). You'll use `estaba` much more often for descriptions.
Why does 'estaba' mean both 'I was' and 'he/she was'?
It's a feature of Spanish verb endings. For this specific past tense (the imperfect), the forms for 'yo' (I) and 'él/ella/usted' (he/she/you formal) are the same. You can usually tell who the speaker means from the context of the conversation.
Can I use 'estaba' to say 'I was a doctor'?
No, you would not use `estaba` for that. Professions are considered a more permanent characteristic, so you would use a form of the verb `ser`. To say 'I was a doctor,' you would say 'Yo era doctor'.