We were hungry, so we decided to go to a restaurant - preterite or imperect

Question

Hi there

would this be imperfect tense (I am hungary as it is emotional condition) followed by preterited (we decided)? e.g. Empezamos a tener hambre, asi que decidimos comer algo en el restaurante chino.

any help with this would be great.

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Answer 1

First of all, any question or sentence needs to start with a capital letter. ("Would") We have to observe proper English grammar here, because there are those who are learning English. Secondly "hungary" is a typo. You got it right in your title.

Thirdly, hunger is a physical not an "emotional" condition.

Fourth, "Empezamos a tener hambre" is correct, and is in the preterite tense. "Decidimos comer algo------" is also correct and preterite tense.

Another option which would better translate your phrase "We were hungry" would be:

Teníamos hambre, así que........" "teníamos" is in the imperfect tense.

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Buena suerte

¡Muy bien dicho! - 005faa61, Dec 20, 2015

Answer 2

Hi Loucarroll,

Welcome to the SpanishDict forum

You asked in your main question:

We were hungry, so we decided to go to a restaurant - preterite or imperect (? question mark needed)

When I first read your question before opening this thread, and before reading any of the other members responses I would have said:

Teníamos hambre por eso decidimos ir a un restaurante. = We were hungry so we decided to go to a restaurant.

Hi there, would this be imperfect tense (I am hungry as it is emotional condition) followed by preterited (we decided)? e.g. Empezamos a tener hambre, asi que decidimos comer algo en el restaurante chino. any help with this would be great. > We were hungry, so we decided to go to a restaurant - preterite or imperect

Regarding the other sentence in the main body of your question above, I would suggest:

Empezábamos a tener hambre por eso decidimos comer algo en un restaurante chino. = We began to be hungry so we decided to eat something in a Chinese restaurant.

The imperfect indicative tense used to describe a physical or emotional state which is why I suggest that Teníamos hambre would be the best translation for the first part of your sentence: We were hungry....

I hope this helps

Corrijan mi español si es necesario, por favor

@Feliz77. Your translation is right on. you also covered the reason for it, which I did also later on in a comment. I should have put in my main answer. - Daniela2041, Dec 21, 2015

Muchss Gracas, amiga Daniela .Feliz Navidad :) - FELIZ77, Dec 21, 2015

Y Feliz Año Nuevo :) - FELIZ77, Dec 21, 2015

Bueno, muchas gracias Feliz77 y Feliz navidad :-) - loucarroll73, Dec 21, 2015

De nada. Muchas gracias por tus mejores deseos :) - FELIZ77, Dec 21, 2015

Answer 3

Hi Daniela

Thank you for the answer. However I do realise that sentences start with a capital letter. I was sat on a train pulling into the station when I sent that message hence the typos and mistakes.

You are correct in that hunger is a physical condition however my understanding is that the imperfect is used for mental, physical and emotional conditions.

Please can you tell me why you would use "teníamos" in the imperfect tense and not the preterite?

Many thanks Louise

It sounds better, it is the background to deciding to go to the restaurant. However, if you especially want to stress that you were getting hungry at that moment it might not work quite so well. - annierats, Dec 20, 2015

If that is the important thing, then I think epezabamos a tener hambre works well. - annierats, Dec 20, 2015

thank you Annierats, that's very helpful. - loucarroll73, Dec 20, 2015

My English is not so good. Would you please explain "I was sat on a train"? - 005faa61, Dec 20, 2015

Of course. "I was sitting down in the train" - loucarroll73, Dec 20, 2015

Hi, Lou: Teníamos means "we were hungry" describing our situation. "Tuvimos hambre would mean "We got hungry" as an event that happened. OK? - Daniela2041, Dec 21, 2015

"Teníamos hambre" that is. Oy veh! - Daniela2041, Dec 21, 2015

Muchas gracias Daniela y Feliz navidad x - loucarroll73, Dec 21, 2015