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Conjugate estar in the preterite tense in Spanish (El Pretérito Indefinido)

Written by qualified Spanish expert Silvia Piriz BA
Last updated: 2022-03-24
21 questions

The verb estar (to be) is irregular in El Pretérito Indefinido in Spanish.

Learn how to conjugate "estar" in El Pretérito Indefinido in Spanish.

yo

estuve

tú

estuviste

él/ella/Ud.

estuvo

nosotros / nosotras

estuvimos

vosotros / vosotras

estuvisteis

ellos/ellas/Uds.

estuvieron

Here are some examples to look at and listen to:

Yo estuve en Cartagena el año pasado.I was in Cartagena last year.

Tú estuviste enfermo en el hospital.You were sick in the hospital.

Él estuvo en mi pueblo hace un mes.He was in my town a month ago.

Nosotros estuvimos en Brasil con amigos.We were in Brazil with friends.

Vosotros estuvisteis en el concierto anoche.You were at the concert last night.

Ellos estuvieron en el festival de verano.They were at the summer festival.

Ustedes estuvieron cansados todo el día.You were tired all day.

Estar belongs to a group of verbs that all have a different stem but they share the same set of endings. To learn more about this have a look at Irregulares en Indefinido/mismas terminaciones.

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Examples and resources

Él estuvo en mi pueblo hace un mes.He was in my town a month ago.
Ustedes estuvieron cansados todo el día.You were tired all day.
Yo estuve en Cartagena el año pasado.I was in Cartagena last year.
Nosotros estuvimos en Brasil con amigos.We were in Brazil with friends.
Vosotros estuvisteis en el concierto anoche.You were at the concert last night.
Tú estuviste enfermo en el hospital.You were sick in the hospital.
Ellos estuvieron en el festival de verano.They were at the summer festival.
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