How to Say "was probably" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “was probably” is “tendría” — B2 level.
Examples
En esa foto, yo tendría unos cinco años.
In that photo, I must have been about five years old.
Cuando llegamos, la tienda ya estaría cerrada.
When we arrived, the store was probably already closed.
¿Cuánta gente tendría la fiesta? No sé, unas cien personas.
I wonder how many people the party had? I don't know, about a hundred people.
A Surprising Use: Guessing About the Past
Even though 'tendría' looks like it's about the future ('would'), Spanish speakers cleverly use it to make guesses about things that already happened. It adds a feeling of uncertainty or estimation.
Confusing with 'Tenía'
Mistake: “Using 'tenía' (I had) when you're guessing: 'En esa foto, yo tenía cinco años.'”
Correction: Use 'tendría' (I must have been) for guessing: 'En esa foto, tendría unos cinco años.' Use 'tenía' only when you are stating a definite fact about the past.
Related Translations
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