fue, era, estuvo or estaba

Question

After a great meal in a tapas bar I said "Era perfecto" but should I have use fue as it was a completed action? Or should I have used estuvo or even estaba?

Many thanks

Steve

Please fill out your profile so as we may better help you . Welcome to the forum . Buena suerte amiga. - ray76, Jun 13, 2014

Answer 1

Depends on context.

Edit:

I am sure you'll know this.

After a great meal in a tapas bar I said "Era perfecto"

Is he talking to a friend after trying some of that food last year and now he's recalling and telling a friend.

Is this immediately after eating

Etc...

Right?

He gave us the context in this case, so which would you recommend? - rodneyp, Jun 13, 2014

Still more is needed. Read my edit please. I don't like to do this but what the heck. - chileno, Jun 14, 2014

Answer 2

Welcome to SpanishDict. I think, "Fue perfecto."

I agree because not just the quality of food but the entire experience has finished. - 005faa61, Jun 13, 2014

Answer 3

Since we are registering non-native opinions on this.

For a given meal- I would use estar- in a good condition because it was cooked well. In discussing the food in general at a place- ser- always, by definition, the food is good there. But that is like if you are telling someone later that the food in general is good at that restaurant, not when you are commenting on the individual meal you just had to complement the chef who put it in that good condition.

The choice between estuvo and estaba is much more subtle, but I think estaba is a bit more common right after a meal, with less of the sense that it is over, estuvo might be more appropriate when you are discussing something further in the past, clearly over, estaba gives less of a sense of finality and is probably more used in the context, but I think either could work.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong. I also would not mind hearing from a native speaker.

Except for Chileno...he is a native Spanish speaker. - rac1, Jun 13, 2014

My answer preceeded his, but since his answer has gotten more votes than mine, it has risen above mine. - bosquederoble, Jun 13, 2014

I know..just playing...lol - rac1, Jun 13, 2014

Answer 4

Well here in Baja if you are referring to the meal we say> La comida/cena queda muy bien.

Here are a couple of dictionary entries that support using quedar.

• quedar bien/mal (con alguien) -> to make a good/bad impression (on somebody)
• el trabajo ha quedado perfecto -> the job turned out perfectly

Note: Immediately after the meal we use present tense. If you were talking about yesterdays dinner then I would use preterite tense.

Answer 5

I don't think you should use era or estaba in this case.

I believe it should have been estuvo, but I'm pretty sure you can go with fue as well.

Real life Spanish has taught me this sort of thing is often regional and the differences between one or the other is often trivial. But I'd like to hear the answer of a native speaker.