estabais
es-TA-bice
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Vosotros estabais en el cine ayer por la tarde.
A1You all were at the cinema yesterday afternoon.
Cuando llegué, vosotros ya estabais allí.
A2When I arrived, you all were already there.
Sé que estabais muy cansados después de la excursión.
A2I know you were very tired after the hike.
💡 Grammar Points
Setting the Scene
Use this form to describe where a group of people was or how they were feeling over a period of time in the past, rather than a single completed action.
The 'Vosotros' Rule
This word specifically targets a group of friends or family (informal 'you all'). If you are in Latin America, you'll likely use 'estaban' instead.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Estabais vs. Erais
Mistake: "Using 'erais' to describe where you were."
Correction: Use 'estabais' for locations or temporary feelings; 'erais' is for who you were or what you were like.
⭐ Usage Tips
The Accent Secret
Unlike many other past tense forms for 'you all', 'estabais' does not have an accent mark. This makes it easier to write!
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
present
imperfect
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: estabais
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'estabais' to talk about a group of friends?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to use the word 'vosotros' with 'estabais'?
Not usually! Because the ending '-abais' is unique to 'you all' in the past, Spanish speakers will know exactly who you are talking about even if you leave the pronoun out.
Why doesn't my Mexican friend use this word?
In Mexico and most of Latin America, the 'vosotros' form has been replaced by 'ustedes'. They would say 'ustedes estaban' instead.