estaban
“estaban” means “were” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
were
Also: used to be
📝 In Action
Los libros estaban sobre la mesa.
A1The books were on the table.
Ayer, mis padres no estaban en casa.
A1Yesterday, my parents weren't at home.
¿Ustedes estaban en el cine cuando llamé?
A2Were you all at the movies when I called?
were
Also: felt, seemed / looked
📝 In Action
Los niños estaban muy contentos con sus regalos.
A2The children were very happy with their gifts.
Las ventanas estaban cerradas por el frío.
A2The windows were closed because of the cold.
Después de la carrera, todos estaban agotados.
B1After the race, everyone was exhausted.
were ...-ing
📝 In Action
Mis amigos estaban jugando al fútbol.
A2My friends were playing soccer.
Cuando llegué, ellos estaban cenando.
B1When I arrived, they were eating dinner.
Los estudiantes estaban escuchando atentamente al profesor.
B1The students were listening attentively to the professor.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: estaban
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly describes how a group of people were feeling at a party?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb 'stāre', which means 'to stand'. Over time, its meaning shifted from physically standing to being in a certain location or condition. You can still see the 'stand' connection in words like 'estación' (station) and 'estatua' (statue).
First recorded: Evolved from Vulgar Latin, present in the earliest forms of Spanish.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the simplest difference between 'estaban' and 'eran'?
Think of it this way: 'estaban' is for 'how' they were (feeling tired, in the kitchen), while 'eran' is for 'what' they were (doctors, tall). 'Estaban' is for temporary conditions and locations; 'eran' is for more permanent characteristics and identities.
And what about 'estaban' vs. 'estuvieron'?
'Estaban' describes the background or an ongoing past action without a clear end. 'Estuvieron' describes a completed action that happened and finished. For example, 'Estaban en la playa' (They were at the beach - setting the scene). 'Estuvieron en la playa por tres horas' (They were at the beach for three hours - a finished block of time).
Is 'estaban' only for 'they'?
No, it's also for 'ustedes', which is the formal or plural 'you'. So, 'Ustedes estaban en la reunión' means 'You all were in the meeting'.