estaba vs era for describing food.

Question

I am using the Spanish Dict translator

The food was delicious = La comida estaba deliciosa

Estaba make sense here, because Estaba is the imperfect form of was. So Estaba is indicating that the food was delicious and it still might be delicious

The food on the plane was delicious = La comida en el avión era deliciosa

Why is era being used? Era would mean that the food is still delicious. But how can that be? If it was on the plane, then it can't exist any more. Surely it should be either Estaba or fue?

Can someone clarify? Thanks!

Answer 1

Well don't forget the imperfect tense can be translate as "use to" as well

The food on the airplane use to be delicious = La comida en el avión era deliciosa.

Another way to think of it is that ser is used for normal conditions while estar is used for a special condition. Thus, the food on the airplane was normally/ usually delicious vs the food on the airplane was delicious, a particular meal on a particular airplane.

Estaba- a particular food that you ate was delicious at that moment. It isn't usually that delicious

Era- airplane food use to be good quality. It was delicious a few years ago, but not anymore maybe.

Fue- airplane food was great quality until something happened

Estuvo- a particular food that you ate was delicious until something happened

Thanks! In both examples, I am trying to convey the meaning that the food was delicious. I do NOT want to imply that it might not be delicious any more. So do I use estaba? For example: La comida estaba deliciosa La comida en el avión estaba deliciosa - big_smile, Oct 1, 2016

Do you think airplane food in general is delicious or think the food that you ate on a particular flight was delicious? - Ramonaspiker, Oct 1, 2016

When you use Ser in the past tense to describe food, it mostly means that the food was good and isn't good anymore. So use estar to describe food in the past tense and ser in the present tense to describe what food tastes now in general - Ramonaspiker, Oct 1, 2016

"use to" as imperfect tense? This is wrong. Can you clarify? - Oshnaj, Oct 1, 2016

Well it "can be" translated as use to. Clearly it can be used for descriptions in the past, and all the other stuff. I remember when to use the imperfect tense when I'm talking about things in the past that I use to do and may or may not do anymore - Ramonaspiker, Oct 1, 2016

Don't you mean "used to?" - Oshnaj, Oct 1, 2016

Yes sorry if that confused you - Ramonaspiker, Oct 1, 2016

So will it be: La comida estaba deliciosa La comida en el avión estaba deliciosa Because I want to convey that the food that you ate on a particular flight was delicious? as estaba is the past form of estar) - big_smile, Oct 2, 2016

Yes it would be estaba - Ramonaspiker, Oct 2, 2016