hubo
“hubo” means “there was” in Spanish (used for a single item).
there was, there were
Also: there took place, there occurred
📝 In Action
Hubo un problema con el coche.
A2There was a problem with the car.
Hubo muchas personas en el concierto.
A2There were a lot of people at the concert.
El año pasado hubo una gran tormenta.
B1Last year there was a big storm.
No hubo tiempo para despedirse.
B1There wasn't time to say goodbye.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: hubo
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly describes a specific event that happened last night?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb 'habēre,' meaning 'to have' or 'to hold.' `Hubo` is the modern version of a specific past tense form, 'habuit,' which over time came to be used to talk about the existence of things in the past.
First recorded: Around the 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
So I should NEVER use 'hubieron'?
Almost never. Technically, 'hubieron' is the form for 'they had' when 'haber' is used as a helping verb in a very old-fashioned literary tense. For saying 'there were,' it's considered incorrect in modern Spanish. It's safest to just always use `hubo`.
What is the simplest way to remember when to use `hubo` vs. `había`?
Think of it like a photo vs. a movie. `Hubo` is for a photo: a single, completed event ('There was a crash'). `Había` is for a movie: describing the scene as it was happening ('There were clouds in the sky and birds were singing').