Preterite of estar and ter

Level 2

The past of estar is estiven, estiveches, estivo and the past of ter is tiven, tiveches, tivo: Estiven en Lugo (I was in Lugo), Tivemos sorte (We were lucky).

How It Works

estar: estiven, estiveches, estivo, estivemos, estivestes, estiveron
ter: tiven, tiveches, tivo, tivemos, tivestes, tiveron

The irregular ending set: eu ends in -en and el/ela in -o, both stressed on the stem: estiven, tivo. The same endings appear in fixen and dixen and in puiden, quixen and souben.

The i in the stem: the standard stems are estiv- and tiv-. Forms with u, such as estuven or tuven, are very common in everyday speech, partly because of Spanish, but the written standard keeps the traditional i: estiven, tiven.

Common uses: estar tells where someone was or how they were for a time: Estiven enfermo unha semana (I was ill for a week). Ter keeps its everyday meanings, including obligation with ter que: Tiven que saír cedo (I had to leave early).

Examples (6)

  1. Estiven en Lugo o fin de semana.

    I was in Lugo at the weekend.

    Word by Word: Was-I in Lugo the weekend.

    estar → estiven.

  2. Tivemos sorte co tempo.

    We were lucky with the weather.

    Word by Word: Had-we luck with-the weather.

    Galician says have luck; co = con + o.

  3. Onde estiveches onte?

    Where were you yesterday?

    Word by Word: Where were-you yesterday?

    The ti form ends in -eches.

  4. Ela tivo un fillo en maio.

    She had a son in May.

    Word by Word: She had a son in May.

    The el/ela form ends in -o with no accent.

  5. Estiveron dúas semanas en Portugal.

    They were in Portugal for two weeks.

    Word by Word: Were-they two weeks in Portugal.

    A bounded stay uses the preterite.

  6. Tiven que saír cedo.

    I had to leave early.

    Word by Word: Had-I that leave early.

    ter que + infinitive in the past.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the past of ser to say where someone was.

    Onte fun na casa todo o día.
    Onte estiven na casa todo o día.

    To say where you were, use estar. Fun is the past of ser and ir, so it does not mean I was at home.

  • Using the Spanish form tuvimos.

    Onte tuvimos sorte.
    Onte tivemos sorte.

    Tuvimos is Spanish. In Galician the nós ending of this past is -emos, and the written standard stem is tiv-: tivemos.

How It Connects

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Preterite of estar and terLevel 2

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Estar and ter have changed stems in the preterite.

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Words in This Pattern

estar