translation please: "It was important for you to do your homework"

Question

For the sentence, "It was important for you to do your homework", should it be translated as "Era importante que hicieras tu tarea" or is there a better translation?

Answer 1

You would say using the present indicative mood:

Present

es importante = it is important

Simple past

or fue importante

= it was important

The simple past/preterite is used for actions that happened once or for actions that have been completed in the context It was important (not, it used to be )important )

that you were doing your homework hicieras (imperfect subjunctive)

Answer 2

I would say

Fue importante que hicieras tu tarea (deberes)

= It was important that you did/were doing your homework

I would say that the real meaning behind the english phrase for you to do in this context means that you did/were doing

Can you explain to me why it's fue instead of era and why hacer is not in the past subjunctive? Thanks - psyche_of_frogs, JUN 7, 2010