Ser vs Estar, Past Tense Location

Question

I'm really confused right now. I thought the rules for ser vs. estar carried over to the past tense, meaning location is estar, but then how come the first example for ser in the SpanishDict dictionary is "fue aquí"? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Sorry folks but the use of "fue" in this case has little to do with location (either of an event or an object). It corresponds more closely to "this is/was the place where something (whatever) happened". You are defining the place (or, at least, saying why it is important/interesting). La batalla fue aquí." (the event occurred/took place), "Los cañones estaban aquí." (location of objects) but "Este es (el lugar) donde estaban los cañones." (answers "What place is this?")

hence the concept of it. - jeezzle, Sep 26, 2010

Answer 2

Ok, Jeezle. I gave you a chance.

It was here that... such and such happened. In this case we are not talking about a physical object, but a non-physical object (the raid on a town, a war, a plague, an attack) so Ser (fue) is used.

Remember Estar is used for locations of physical objects and geographical objects.

The package was here. Someone must have moved it. (Uses estar...location of a physical object).

Answer 3

I have a similar question. I know that in the present tense estar is used to express geographic or physical locations, with the exception that "ser" is used to tell where "an event" is taking place, like "La fiesta "es" en mi casa." (The party is at my house.) Does this exception carry over to the past tense. If I want to say the party (the event) was held at my house, is it correct to say either of these: "La fiesta fue en mi casa or La fiesta fue aquí."?? It kind of sounds similar to "the war (the event) was here or the war - it happened here.

Yes, it makes no difference whether the event was in the present, past or future. - 0074b507, Sep 26, 2010

Mt. Evererst was, is, and will be in the Far East (estar) The dance was, is, or will be use Ser. - 0074b507, Sep 26, 2010

Thank you! I just want to be certain. - Nilda-Ballardo, Sep 26, 2010

Answer 4

Do you think so Qfreed? I think ser's version of fue works fine too. Estaba aquí - it was here (location based). Fue aquí - it was here (that the war happened twenty years ago). (not to mention that the dictionary says "fue aquí = it was here".)

Edit: Estaba talks about the actual location of where it was. Fue talks about the concept/situation of it being there. But then again I might be wrong. Gracias.

Of course, you're correct. It was here that...exactly. - 0074b507, Sep 26, 2010

But now you have to explain why the predicate nominative is different from estar aquí. - 0074b507, Sep 26, 2010

but Q when I hear things like "predicate nominative" I get all creeped out and want to hide under the covers. - jeezzle, Sep 26, 2010

He he, so do I. - kenwilliams, Sep 26, 2010

Answer 5

delete-see Jeezle's answer.