Spanish grammar
Estaba, estábamos + -ando / -iendo
Say what someone was doing at a point in the past.
From the scene ¿Qué estabas haciendo? (What were you doing?)
In short
For something in progress in the past, use estaba + -ando / -iendo: estaba durmiendo.
- what were you doing? ¿qué estabas haciendo?
- we were watching estábamos viendo
- he was reading estaba leyendo
- I was sleeping estaba durmiendo
Your turn
Which one goes with we were watching?
Options: estábamos viendo · ¿qué estabas haciendo? · estaba leyendo
Show answer
we were watching → estábamos viendo
How it works
For something in progress at a moment in the past, use estar in the imperfect (estaba, estabas, estábamos) plus a gerund.
Good to know
-ando for -ar verbs, -iendo for -er/-ir verbs (some change a little: leer → leyendo, dormir → durmiendo).
what were you doing? ¿qué estabas haciendo?
Elena
Nuria, estoy investigando. ¿Qué estabas haciendo anoche?
Nuria, I'm investigating. What were you doing last night?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Nuria, estoy investigando. ¿(blank) anoche?
Options: Estábamos viendo · Estaba leyendo · Qué estabas haciendo
Show answer
Elena
Nuria, estoy investigando. ¿Qué estabas haciendo anoche?
Nuria, I'm investigating. What were you doing last night?
we were watching estábamos viendo
Nuria
Con Javi. Estábamos viendo la tele.
With Javi. We were watching TV.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Con Javi. (blank) la tele.
Options: Qué estabas haciendo · Estaba leyendo · Estábamos viendo
Show answer
Nuria
Con Javi. Estábamos viendo la tele.
With Javi. We were watching TV.
he was reading estaba leyendo
Nuria
Uno de cocina. Javi estaba leyendo sus mensajes.
A cooking one. Javi was reading his messages.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Uno de cocina. Javi (blank) sus mensajes.
Options: estábamos viendo · estaba leyendo · qué estabas haciendo
Show answer
Nuria
Uno de cocina. Javi estaba leyendo sus mensajes.
A cooking one. Javi was reading his messages.
I was sleeping estaba durmiendo
Nuria
A medianoche Javi ya no estaba. ¡Yo estaba durmiendo en el sofá!
At midnight Javi had already gone. I was sleeping on the sofa!
Your turn
What fills the gap?
A medianoche Javi ya no estaba. ¡Yo (blank) en el sofá!
Options: estábamos viendo · estaba durmiendo · qué estabas haciendo
Show answer
Nuria
A medianoche Javi ya no estaba. ¡Yo estaba durmiendo en el sofá!
At midnight Javi had already gone. I was sleeping on the sofa!
Common mistake
Not estás or estaba here. You (Nuria), last night.
Nuria, estoy investigando. ¿Qué estabas haciendo anoche?
Nuria, I'm investigating. What were you doing last night?
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| what were you doing? | ¿qué estabas haciendo? |
|---|---|
| we were watching | estábamos viendo |
| he was reading | estaba leyendo |
| I was sleeping | estaba durmiendo |
More lines from the story
- Nuria¿Yo? Estaba en casa, tranquila.Me? I was at home, relaxing.
- Elena¿Y qué programa era?And what programme was it?