estuvimos
“estuvimos” means “we were” in Spanish (Location or temporary state (completed action)).
we wereAlso: we stayed, we felt
📝 In Action
Ayer estuvimos en la casa de mis abuelos toda la tarde.
A1Yesterday we were at my grandparents' house all afternoon.
¿Cómo les fue? Estuvimos muy preocupados por el retraso.
A2How did it go? We were very worried about the delay.
Estuvimos de vacaciones en México el mes pasado.
A1We were on vacation in Mexico last month.
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: estuvimos
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'estuvimos'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
📚 Etymology
The verb 'estar' comes from the Latin verb *stare*, meaning 'to stand' or 'to remain.' This root explains why 'estar' is used for location and temporary states—you are 'standing' or 'remaining' somewhere or in some condition.
First recorded: Old Spanish (around 10th-11th century)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the preterite form 'estuvimos' so irregular?
The verb 'estar' is irregular because it uses an ancient root (*estuv-*) in the simple past, which is common for very old, high-frequency verbs in Spanish. It doesn't follow the standard -ar verb pattern (like *hablamos*).
When should I use 'estuvimos' versus 'estábamos'?
'Estuvimos' (preterite) is for actions or states that had a clear beginning and end ('We were there for three hours'). 'Estábamos' (imperfect) is for ongoing, habitual, or background states in the past ('We were always tired when we worked there').