How to Say "we felt" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “we felt” is “tuvimos” — use 'tuvimos' when describing a temporary physical sensation or condition that you experienced, such as hunger, thirst, or cold.
Use 'tuvimos' when describing a temporary physical sensation or condition that you experienced, such as hunger, thirst, or cold.
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Use 'estuvimos' to talk about a temporary emotional or physical state or condition, often related to how you were in a specific place or time.
Learn more →Use 'teníamos' to describe ongoing feelings or states in the past that are more like inherent conditions, such as being sleepy or having a specific age.
Learn more →too-VEE-mostuˈβi.mos
Examples
¡Tuvimos mucho frío anoche!
We were very cold last night!
En ese momento, ¡tuvimos mucha sed!
In that moment, we were (had) very thirsty!
Después del concierto, todos tuvimos un poco de dolor de cabeza.
After the concert, we all had a slight headache.
Tener vs. Ser/Estar for Feelings
Unlike English, which uses 'to be' (we are cold), Spanish uses 'tener' (we have cold) for certain physical states like hunger, thirst, heat, and cold.
es-too-VEE-mosestuˈβimos
Examples
Estuvimos muy contentos en la fiesta.
We were very happy at the party.
Ayer estuvimos en la casa de mis abuelos toda la tarde.
Yesterday we were at my grandparents' house all afternoon.
¿Cómo les fue? Estuvimos muy preocupados por el retraso.
How did it go? We were very worried about the delay.
Estuvimos de vacaciones en México el mes pasado.
We were on vacation in Mexico last month.
The 'We' Form in the Past
Estuvimos is the 'we' form (nosotros) of the verb 'estar' (to be) in the simple past tense (preterite). It describes an action or state that started and finished completely in the past.
Ser vs. Estar Distinction
We use 'estar' (and thus 'estuvimos') for temporary things: location, feelings, health, or conditions that change. We use 'ser' (like 'fuimos') for permanent characteristics, identity, or origin.
Mixing up Estuvimos and Éramos
Mistake: “Éramos en el parque.”
Correction: Estuvimos en el parque. ('Éramos' is for permanent description, 'estuvimos' is for location.)
Mixing up Estuvimos and Fuimos
Mistake: “Estuvimos a la fiesta.”
Correction: Fuimos a la fiesta. ('Fuimos' is 'we went'; 'estuvimos' is 'we were' (already there).)
teníamos
Examples
Teníamos mucho sueño esa mañana.
We were very sleepy that morning.
Physical Sensations vs. General States
The most common confusion is between 'tuvimos' for immediate physical feelings (like hunger, thirst) and 'estuvimos' for more general emotional or situational states. While both can describe temporary conditions, 'tuvimos' often focuses on bodily sensations.
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