era/eras/era/éramos/eram

Pretérito Imperfeito De Ser

Level 2

Use 'era' to describe how things were, what people used to be like, or to set the scene in the past.

How It Works

The verb ser is anomalous, meaning its stem changes significantly across tenses. In the imperfect past, it uses the stem er-. Unlike the Pretérito Perfeito (which views the past as a finished event), the Imperfeito describes the 'background' of a story.

Conjugation:

  • Eu era
  • Tu eras
  • Ele/Ela/Você era
  • Nós éramos (Note the mandatory accent)
  • Eles/Elas/Vocês eram

Key Uses:
1. Physical/Personality Descriptions: 'Ele era alto' (He was tall).
2. Habits: 'Nós éramos amigos' (We used to be friends).
3. Age and Time: 'Era meio-dia' (It was noon) or 'Eu era jovem' (I was young).
4. Scene Setting: Providing the context for a narrative before an action happens.

Examples (4)

  1. Quando eu era criança, eu era muito tímido.

    When I was a child, I was very shy.

    Word by Word: When I was child, I was very shy.

    Uses 'era' twice to describe a past state (childhood) and a personality trait (shyness).

  2. Nós éramos vizinhos há muitos anos.

    We were neighbors for many years.

    Word by Word: We were neighbors for many years.

    Describes a long-term relationship/state in the past using the 'nós' form.

  3. Era uma noite fria e as ruas eram desertas.

    It was a cold night and the streets were deserted.

    Word by Word: Was a night cold and the streets were deserted.

    Classic scene-setting using 'era' for the weather and 'eram' for the description of the streets.

  4. Eu queria saber se era possível falar com o gerente.

    I wanted to know if it was possible to speak with the manager.

    Word by Word: I wanted to-know if was possible to-speak with the manager.

    Here, 'era' is used to soften a request and maintain a polite tone.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting the accent on the 'nós' form.

    Nós eramos felizes.
    Nós éramos felizes.

    The form 'éramos' must have an acute accent on the first 'e' to indicate the correct stress and vowel sound.

  • Confusing 'era' with 'foi' for descriptions.

    Ele foi inteligente quando era novo.
    Ele era inteligente quando era novo.

    Use 'era' for characteristics like intelligence. 'Foi' implies a completed event or a sudden change, which doesn't fit a personality trait.

  • Confusing 'era' (ser) with 'estava' (estar).

    Eu era cansado ontem.
    Eu estava cansado ontem.

    Even in the past, 'ser' is for characteristics and 'estar' is for temporary states. 'Era cansado' implies you were a tired person by nature.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

era/eras/era/éramos/eramLevel 2Pretérito Imperfeito De Ser

Learn This First

To understand the irregular imperfect forms of 'ser' (era, eras, etc.), learners should first be familiar with the verb's identity and present tense usage, the subject pronouns it agrees with, and the general concept of the Pretérito Imperfeito tense in Portuguese.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern