Preterite excited

Question

'I was very excited' in preterite tense could it be estuve muy emocioné? thank you!

or 'estaba muy emocionada' but isnt that i used to be very excited? - katrinakatnelson, May 2, 2016

Now you have an answer, please complete your profile. Also the letter, "I" should always be capitalized. - rac1, May 2, 2016

Can you give the timing of the excitment, was it a precise hour, day, or just a background to what happened? This affects the translation. - annierats, May 2, 2016

it was in the context of, i am giving a report about my past holiday and i was excited about a holiday before i went on it. - katrinakatnelson, May 2, 2016

Answer 1

Hello Katrina:

Welcome to the SpanishDict forum

You asked/said:

If the Spanish used the preterite (simple past) in this situation, they would have said:: Estuve muy emocionada (woman) / Estuve muy emocionado (man)

However, according to our online Spanish teacher, Paralee, the Spanish people use the imperfect indicative, instead of the preterite to talk about emotions in the past because it is impossible to know when these emotions started and finished. The preterite /simple past is used to talk about an action that was completed at some time in the past, but as it is very difficult to determine the exact time when emotions begin and end, the imperfect indicative is used!

Yes, in Spanish the imperfect indicative is used to talk about something thaat you were doing or used to do in the past (habitual actions)

So, I believe you would say (as a woman): Estaba muy emocionada (I was very excited)

However you could also say: Estaba muy entusiasmada con el viaje = I was very excited about the trip

I asked my native Spanish teacher whc comes from Spain about this in my class (lesson) today and she said that if there is a concrete /definite time period eg: yesterday, you would use the preterite, eg: I was excited to meet my mother again yesterday, but if there is no clear (concrete) time period you would use the imperfect indicative!

I hope this helps

thank you very much! - katrinakatnelson, May 2, 2016

You are welcome, :) - FELIZ77, May 2, 2016

I agree - 000a35ff, May 2, 2016

Muchas gracias, Astoxtua :) - FELIZ77, May 2, 2016

I agree, but without background we don't know if it was a temporary or background excitement.. - annierats, May 2, 2016

Answer 2

I am sorry but i don't agree with that.

Again, as always context will dictate/determine.

astotxua, which is correct?

Estaba estaba emocionado todo el día o Estuve emocionado todo el día?