Storybook Phrase
I've been reading through a children's book for practice, and I came across a line that I had trouble with (I should say I'm definitely a Spanish novice, so there aren't many that I don't have trouble with). Anyway, here is the passage:
Todas contaban las novedades y las cosas bellas que veían, pero como ahora ya tenían permiso para subir cuando quisieran, acabaron por perder el interés. Donde mejor se estaba era en casa.
I'm having trouble with the last line. I've translated it in my head as something like, "Where better to be than at home," but the usage of se estaba era is a little confusing to me. I can't connect the Spanish grammar to its equivalent in English.
If you have any perspective on this, please share. Thanks!
2 Answers
Hi.. Great question. The reflexive form of the verb estar means to feel or find yourself in a particular mood. It can be accompanied by adjectives, past participles or adverbs that express feelings, sensations etc.. In your case, bien is an adverb that modifies estarse.
So your phrase: "Donde mejor se estaba era en casa" means Home was the best place to be (to find yourself) in
I'm a nubie to this and doubt that I could ever actually say something as complicated as this, but it seems like fun to puzzle out.
First the verbs are ser and estar, side-by-side. Don't think I've ever seen that before. I guess estar ("estaba") is there because of "donde" and ser (era) is there to describe; A is B . I didn't know that estar had a reflexive form and didn't find it in the first two places I looked, but the dictionary says it means "stay".
Both the verbs are in the imperfect form which I read can be used to describe past, conditions and circumstances.
So, by this round-about route, I agree. Para mi: Home was the best place to be.
