Estuve vs Estaba

Calli J.B1Kwiziq community member

Estuve vs Estaba

Why use estaba when saying “I was very calm and happy”? It didn’t seem like an ongoing action in the past but one defined by “after my swim”. Why not estuve?

Asked 1 year ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in Kwiziq

Hola Calli

Even when you say "after my swim" you can still use the imperfect here to describe how you "were feeling" (estaba calmado y contento), so you don't see that feeling as something that started and then ended, but more like a the state of mind you were in (descriptive, ongoing). 

I hope this clarified it.

Saludos

Estuve vs Estaba

Why use estaba when saying “I was very calm and happy”? It didn’t seem like an ongoing action in the past but one defined by “after my swim”. Why not estuve?

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