The Past Progressive: estaba hablando vs. estuve hablando

Spanish: El Pasado Progresivo: estaba hablando vs. estuve hablando

Level: B1 Intermediate

Category: verbs

Explanation

The past progressive describes actions that were in development in the past. It is formed with the verb "estar" in the past + the gerund (-ando / -iendo). What is interesting about Spanish is that "estar" can be in the imperfect (estaba) or the preterite (estuve), and each one changes the meaning of the sentence. When we use "estaba + gerund" (imperfect), we describe an action in progress without thinking about when it started or finished. It is the background action, the one that was happening: "Estaba hablando con María cuando sonó el teléfono" (I was talking with María when the phone rang). The talking was the context. When we use "estuve + gerund" (preterite), we see the action as complete, with a limited and finished duration. It marks how long something lasted: "Estuve hablando dos horas" (I was talking for two hours / I talked for two hours). Here we know the action started, lasted, and ended. In short: "estaba hablando" paints the scene (action in progress, background), while "estuve hablando" tells of a finished action that occupied a concrete period of time. Both are very common in everyday conversations.

Examples

• Estaba tomando un cafe cuando entraste. - I was drinking a coffee when you came in.
• Estuve esperando la mesa veinte minutos. - I was waiting for the table for twenty minutes.
• El camarero estaba sirviendo la sopa cuando se cayo. - The waiter was serving the soup when he fell.
• Estuvimos hablando con el recepcionista media hora. - We were talking with the receptionist for half an hour.
• Ella estaba leyendo el menu cuando llego el camarero. - She was reading the menu when the waiter arrived.