Que estudiaste?

Question

Hello, this is not discussion aobut your schooldays, i am sorry if you expected this. I just want to ask, if i could say "Que estudiaba?" instead. There is no definite start or end if you just ask this question like this and it's reapeated action which took for example 4 years at high school.

Thanks for responses.

Answer 1

Daniel, there is no black and white in Spanish with tenses.

In English if there is a definite end to the action you cannot use present perfect.

well, this would be the most appropriate tense here:

This young man is looking for a job.

Interviewer: Así que cuénteme algo de Usted.

Young man: Pues vivo en Madrid y tengo dos carreras, he estudiado medicina y farmacia.

Answer 2

You could ask, “¿Qué estudiaba usted?". If you were having a conversation about things that occurred in the past while a person was in school, it would be appropriate..

However, if it’s just a simple question, I would usaría the preterite. Por ejemplo:

— ¿De dónde es usted? — Soy de Cochabamba. Ahora vivo en San Pedro. — ¿Y qué hacía en Cochabamba? — Allí nací y me crié. Asistía al liceo y comenzaba clases en la universidad. Luego todo se me volvió en contra y me mudé. — ¿Qué estudió en la universidad?

Good answer, Don :) - FELIZ77, Aug 6, 2017

comencé las clases en.... - 006595c6, Aug 6, 2017