"La comida estuvo deliciosa" vs"La comida fue deliciosa"

Question

On a Pimsler lesson I hear the phrase "La comida estuvo deliciosa" yet on Learning Spanish Like Crazy the same statement is made but with ser, "La comida fue deliciosa" so which is it?

• **Estuvo**, right? :) - SonrisaDelSo Jan 28, 2012
• OOps thank you Sunny - Yeser007 Jan 28, 2012

Answer 1

En Chile:

La comida estuvo deliciosa. (la que comimos anoche)

La comida que había/hubo en la fiesta anoche estaba/era deliciosa.

La comida fue como se planeó. (el evento, no la comida misma)

• Gracias Chileno, ahora entiendo. - Yeser007 Jan 28, 2012

Answer 2

Hi Gary!!

Both are correct. In Spain we usually say " La comida estuvo deliciosa" but I know that in many countries say the other option, so, choose the one you like more!

• I love choices. - katydew Jan 28, 2012
• Asi ¿debo decir? las gallettas estuvo deliciosa. ;) Gracias amigo. - Yeser007 Jan 28, 2012
• Las galletas estaban deliciosas... y con un vasito de leche aún están mejor!! - RaulSpaniard Jan 28, 2012
• Ah of course, plural. Thanks Raül! - Yeser007 Jan 29, 2012
• Las galletas estuvieron/estaban deliciosas. - chileno Jan 29, 2012

Answer 3

I vote for Chileno's answer. You can only use fue if you're referring to the event, rather than the things you ate. "Una comida" can be an event. "A meal to launch the political campaign." "Una comida para lanzar la campaña política". In that case, "la comida de los Rojos fue magnífica" may be acceptable. I still prefer "estuvo", though.

• I understand you Gekkosan, but in this case, if we say that was "deliciosa" we are refering to a food, not an event. Un saludo! - RaulSpaniard Jan 28, 2012
• I can see the problem arising from it being a dinner(meal) and a dinner(function) and I think I get it now. Thank you Gekkosan. - Yeser007 Jan 28, 2012
• You are correct, Raul. I say that if we're referring to the delicious food, we will mostly use "estar", although I can think of specific user for "ser". Las comidas en la casa del partido siempre eran deliciosas. (They regularly were tasty meals). - Gekkosan Jan 28, 2012
• Ok. Maybe we are splitting hairs... - RaulSpaniard Jan 29, 2012
• No, just phrases... :-D - chileno Jan 29, 2012

Answer 4

I remember asking the girl who helps me with my Spanish who is a native from Spain and she said estaba rico/delicioso

So estar is used in preference to ser when speaking about the food itself

I hope this helps

• Yes Feliz, Spanish people say like that, but I know that in other countries use "ser". - RaulSpaniard Jan 29, 2012
• Thanks Feliz! - Yeser007 Jan 29, 2012
• Thank you, my friend, Raul :) I am trying to develop a Spanish Based on the Spanish spoken in Spain but I do need to be aware of other variations :) - FELIZ77 Jan 29, 2012
• Yesero, You are most welcome :) - FELIZ77 Jan 29, 2012

Answer 5

You can only use fue if you're referring to the event, rather than the things you ate.

Gekko - this goes against something I learned before (I don't remember where)

I learned this -

La pizza es deliciosa. - fact - Pizza is delicious.

La pizza está deliciosa - the current pizza - this pizza we are eating is delicious.

Now is SER that needs an event here? Because in my mind

"La pizza es deliciosa" means pizza is delicious.

La pizza fue deliciosa would mean that pizza no longer exits on the planet and cannot be obtained, but it was delicious and we remember it.

La pizza era deliciosa would mean that pizza used to be good, but now pizza sucks for whatever reason, let's say tomatoes have been ruined countrywide due to some pestilence.

La pizza estuvo deliciosa - same as está for the past incident / remembrance (estuvo deliciousa en la boda)

La pizza estaba deliciosa - same as está but for longer duration. Like a weekend party. Are all these right? I think I'm a little confused on estuvo / estaba here with food.

• This is not always absolute, and I'd grant some slack for usage variations. Generally speaking, I'd say: "la pizza estuvo deliciosa" (not fue). But I might say: fue una pizzada deliciosa - it was a delightful pizza party. - Gekkosan Jan 28, 2012
• Nice answer Jeezle as always. You really get one thinking. - Yeser007 Jan 29, 2012

Answer 6

La comida fue deliciosa. Ser because it was a concrete fact.

• Thank you Ken - Yeser007 Jan 28, 2012
• In that "ser" because it is referring to the event. - chileno Jan 29, 2012