You're standing there, trying to tell a story about your old friends or maybe describing those shoes you saw at the market in Madrid. You go to say "they were," and suddenly, your brain hits a wall. Spanish doesn't just give you one way to say it. It gives you a choice that feels like a trap. Honestly, the struggle with they were in Spanish is the ultimate rite of passage for anyone trying to actually speak the language rather than just translating it in their head.
It's "ellos eran" or "ellos estaban." Or maybe "ellos fueron" or "ellos estuvieron."
Confused? You're not alone. Most textbooks make this sound like a math equation, but in reality, it's about the "vibe" of the moment you’re describing.
The Great Ser vs. Estar Showdown
The first thing you have to wrap your head around is the DNA of the Spanish language. We have two verbs for "to be." It's a bit extra, I know. Ser is for the soul, the permanent stuff, the things that make a person who they are. Estar is for the "right now," the mood, and the location.
When people search for how to say they were in Spanish, they usually stumble because they haven't decided if they are describing a state of being or a permanent trait.
Think about it this way. If you say "They were happy" using eran (from ser), you’re basically saying they were happy people by nature. It was their personality. But if you use estaban (from estar), you’re saying they were happy in that specific moment—maybe because they just found a five-euro note on the sidewalk.
Why the Preterite and Imperfect Mess With Your Head
Spanish doesn't just stop at two verbs. It doubles down with two past tenses. This is where most students want to throw their dictionary out the window.
The Imperfect (Eran/Estaban): Use this for setting the scene. It's like the background music in a movie. "They were walking," "They were tall," "They were always tired." There’s no clear start or end. It’s just... how things were.
The Preterite (Fueron/Estuvieron): This is for the "bang" moments. It’s a completed action. "They were there for two hours." Period. Done.
If you say Ellos fueron felices, it sounds like their happiness had an expiration date, or you're summarizing their entire lives after they've passed away. It’s heavy stuff. Most of the time, when you're just chatting, you’re going to want the imperfect.
Real-World Examples That Actually Make Sense
Let’s look at how this plays out when you’re actually talking. Imagine you're describing your grandparents.
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"They were very kind."
In Spanish: Ellos eran muy amables. Why? Because kindness was part of their character. It wasn't a temporary location or a fleeting mood.
Now, imagine you’re talking about your keys.
"They were on the table."
In Spanish: Estaban sobre la mesa. Why? Because location always takes estar, and you’re describing a continuing state in the past.
But wait. What if you want to say, "They were in the room for five minutes"?
Now we shift: Estuvieron en la habitación por cinco minutos. The "five minutes" puts a box around the time. It’s a finished event.
Honestly, even native speakers sometimes play with these rules to change the meaning of a sentence. Language is fluid. It’s not a cage. If you use the "wrong" one, people will still understand you, but you might sound a little like a robot or a Victorian novel.
The Nuances Nobody Tells You About
There are specific phrases where they were in Spanish gets even quirkier. Take the word "married."
In Spain, you’ll often hear estaban casados because marriage is seen as a state (even if it's meant to be permanent). But in some Latin American dialects, you might hear eran casados. It’s these little regional flavors that make the language beautiful and, occasionally, incredibly frustrating.
And then there's the passive voice. "They were invited."
Fueron invitados. Here, we almost always use the preterite of ser because the invitation is a specific event that happened.
Why Google Translate Usually Fails You
If you type "they were" into a basic translator, it might give you ellos eran. That’s a 50/50 shot at being right. Translators lack context. They don't know if you're talking about your cousins' heights or where they parked their car.
You've got to be the boss of the context.
- Physical traits? Eran.
- Location? Estaban (or estuvieron if you have a time limit).
- Professional status? Eran.
- Emotions? Estaban.
It’s basically a mental flowchart you have to run through at lightning speed. Eventually, it becomes muscle memory. You won't think "Is this a permanent attribute?" You'll just feel that eran sounds right.
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Breaking Down the Conjugation (The Boring but Necessary Part)
I hate charts. You probably do too. But if you're looking for the literal words to use when translating they were in Spanish, here they are in their natural habitat.
The "Used To Be" Vibe (Imperfect)
- Eran (from Ser): They were (tall, funny, teachers).
- Estaban (from Estar): They were (sad, at home, running).
The "Happened and Finished" Vibe (Preterite)
- Fueron (from Ser): They were (the winners, a great couple).
- Estuvieron (from Estar): They were (there for a week, sick for a day).
Don't overthink it. Seriously. If you're telling a story, 80% of the time you’re going to be using the imperfect (eran or estaban). The preterite is for the plot points; the imperfect is for the description.
The Cultural Impact of Getting it Right
Spanish is a "high-context" language. The way you describe how people "were" tells the listener a lot about how you view those people. If you describe your ex-partners using estuvieron (the finished past), it sounds very final, almost clinical. If you use eran, it sounds like you’re reminiscing about the people they used to be.
Dr. Elena Rodriguez, a sociolinguist who has spent years studying the Ser/Estar divide, often points out that these distinctions allow Spanish speakers to express shades of meaning that English speakers have to use extra words for. In English, we have to say "They were acting crazy" vs. "They were crazy." In Spanish, the verb choice does all that heavy lifting for you.
Eran locos = They were crazy people (mentally ill or just wild personalities).
Estaban locos = They were acting crazy in that moment.
See the power there? One word change, totally different vibe.
How to Practice Without Losing Your Mind
You aren't going to master they were in Spanish by reading a blog post. You need to hear it.
Watch a show on Netflix—something like La Casa de Papel or Club de Cuervos. Listen specifically for when they use eran versus estaban. You’ll notice that when they’re talking about the "plan" (the heist), they use a lot of preterite. When they’re talking about their lives before the heist, it’s all imperfect.
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Try this exercise: Look at an old photo of your family. Try to describe them.
"They were young." (Eran jóvenes).
"They were at the beach." (Estaban en la playa).
"It was a sunny day." (Era un día soleado).
Do this for five minutes a day. Your brain will start to categorize these "to be" moments automatically.
Common Pitfalls to Watch Out For
Watch out for "Age." In English, we say "They were ten years old." In Spanish, you don't use ser or estar. You use tener (to have).
Ellos tenían diez años. If you say Ellos eran diez años, people will look at you like you have two heads. You're literally saying "They were ten years," which makes no sense in their world.
Also, be careful with "They were right."
In Spanish, it's Ellos tenían razón. Again, "having" reason, not "being" right.
These are the little landmines that trip up even intermediate speakers. But honestly, the fact that you're even worried about the difference between eran and estaban means you’re already ahead of most people. You're looking for the soul of the language, not just the code.
Actionable Next Steps
To truly nail they were in Spanish, stop trying to memorize a list of rules and start looking for patterns.
First, pick one specific category of "being"—like location. Commit to always using estar for location. "They were at the mall," "They were in Mexico," "They were under the umbrella." Get comfortable with estaban and estuvieron in that one context.
Next, move to personality traits. "They were mean," "They were smart," "They were loud." Use eran.
By breaking the "they were" monster into smaller, manageable pieces, you stop the mental freeze.
- Listen for the "Vibe": Is it a description or an action?
- Choose Your Verb: Ser for traits, Estar for states/locations.
- Set the Time: Was it a continuing thing (eran/estaban) or a one-time event (fueron/estuvieron)?
Keep it simple. Speak often. Make mistakes. The more you mess up the "they were" distinction, the faster your brain will learn to self-correct. Spanish speakers are generally incredibly patient and will appreciate the effort you're making to respect the nuances of their tongue.
Start by writing three sentences about your childhood friends using eran. Then write three about where you were last New Year's Eve using estuvieron. That’s the work. That’s how you get it.
Expert Insight: Remember that language is a tool for connection, not a test of perfection. Even if you mix up fueron and eran, the person you're talking to will almost certainly understand your intent through the context of the conversation. Focus on the flow first, and the grammar will eventually follow.