For many English speakers learning Portuguese, choosing between era, foi, estava, and esteve often feels like a guessing game. It’s one of those hurdles that can make you freeze mid-sentence, worried you’re about to sound like a confused estrangeiro.
But I promise, there’s a straightforward logic to it. Getting this right is a huge step toward moving beyond the basics of Portuguese present and past tenses and sounding more natural in day-to-day small talk.
The Four Possible Options
In English, you mostly have two options: was and were. But in Portuguese, there are four common ways to say “was”:
- era
- foi
- estava
- esteve
Sounds intimidating, right? The good news is that a simple two-step process always leads you to the right one.
- Step 1: Decide if it’s ser (a core quality) or estar (a temporary state).
- Step 2: Decide if it’s a background description (imperfect) or a completed event (preterite).
The answers to these two questions will lead you directly to the right choice.
First choose between ser and estar, then decide if it’s a background description or a completed event—and you’ve got your answer.
Step 1: Decide if it’s Ser or Estar
This is the classic Core Quality (ser) versus Temporary State (estar) decision. If you’ve studied Spanish, this concept will feel very familiar. This is the most important choice you’ll make, as it immediately cuts your options in half.
[!tip]Pro Tip For now, don’t worry about why you see both era and foi in the examples below. The only goal in this step is to train your brain to choose the right verb family: ser (foi, era) for core qualities and estar (esteve, estava) for temporary states. We’ll pick the exact word in Step 2.
Core Qualities = Ser
Think of ser as describing the fundamental DNA of a person, object, or event. You’re talking about what something was. These are traits, roles, or facts that define it.
Use ser for things like:
- Identity/Characteristics: Ele era um homem simpático. (He was a nice man.)
- Profession: A minha mãe era professora. (My mother was a teacher.)
- Relationships: Nós éramos bons amigos. (We were good friends.)
- Origin: O meu avô era de Viseu. (My grandfather was from Viseu.)
- Time/Dates of Events: A festa foi no sábado. (The party was on Saturday.)
In the wild:
A: Como era o teu avô?
B: Ele era uma pessoa impecável e era padeiro em Viseu.
Temporary States = Estar
Think of estar as describing a snapshot in time. You’re talking about how something was at a particular moment. These are conditions, moods, locations, or weather—things that are not permanent by nature.
Use estar for things like:
- Location: Ela estava em Lisboa no ano passado. (She was in Lisbon last year.)
- Mood/Feelings: Naquele momento, eu estava muito feliz. (In that moment, I was very happy.)
- Physical Condition: Depois da corrida, eles estavam cansados. (After the run, they were tired.)
- Weather: No domingo, o tempo estava horrível. (On Sunday, the weather was awful.)
In the wild:
A: Como estava o tempo ontem?
B: Estava um frio de rachar! Eu estava cheio de pressa para chegar a casa.
The ‘What vs. How’ Litmus Test
For English speakers, here’s the most reliable mental shortcut: ask yourself if you are describing WHAT something was or HOW it was.
- WHAT it was (its essence, identity, a defining characteristic) points to SER.
- HOW it was (its condition, location, a temporary feeling) points to ESTAR.
Wait—what about long-term happiness? I used to tell people that feelings are always estar, but that’s not strictly true. If you are describing a whole chapter of your life, you can say: “Naquela altura, eu era muito feliz” (At that time, I was very happy). Here, being happy wasn’t a fleeting mood; it was the “core quality” of that phase of your life.
Asking ‘what it was’ (ser) versus ‘how it was’ (estar) is the key to your first decision.
Step 2: Background Description or Completed Event? (Imperfect vs. Preterite)
You’ve decided if it’s a core quality (ser) or a temporary state (estar). Now for the final question: are you describing a background scene or a specific, completed event? This is the difference between the Imperfect tense (background descriptions) and the Preterite tense (completed events).
The Past for Background Descriptions (Imperfect): ser → era, estar → estava
Think of the imperfect tense as painting the backdrop of a story. If you chose ser, you’ll use era. If you chose estar, you’ll use estava. This tense describes ongoing conditions, sets the scene, and talks about habitual actions in the past. There’s no clear beginning or end mentioned.
[!tip] Master the “Background” Vibe
The Imperfect tense (Background Description) is the secret to storytelling in Portuguese. If you want to master the “vibe” of Era and Estava, check out my full guide on The Imperfect 'Storytelling' Tense.
In English, this often translates to “used to be” or “was/were ___ing.”
- Quando eu era criança, brincava muito na rua. (When I was a child, I used to play in the street a lot.) (ser → era)
- Estava a chover quando saí de casa. (It was raining when I left the house.) (estar → estava)
The Past for Completed Events (Preterite): ser → foi, estar → esteve
The preterite tense is for actions or states that are finished. If you chose ser, you’ll use foi. If you chose estar, you’ll use esteve. This tense is for things that happened at a specific point in the past and are now over.
- O filme foi ontem. (The movie was yesterday.) (ser → foi)
- Ele esteve em Portugal durante duas semanas. (He was in Portugal for two weeks.) (estar → esteve)
Using “Trigger Words” as Clues, Not Rules
Certain words can give you a strong clue about which tense to use. Think of them as signals to help you understand if the sentence is setting a scene or describing a finished event.
| Often signals a Background Description (Imperfect) | Often signals a Completed Event (Preterite) |
|---|---|
| sempre (always) | ontem (yesterday) |
| normalmente (normally) | na semana passada (last week) |
| todos os dias (every day) | em (year/month) |
| muitas vezes (many times) | de repente (suddenly) |
| enquanto (while) | uma vez (one time) |
Putting It All Together: The Four Choices in Action
A. ERA (Ser for Background Description)
Use era to “set the scene” with a core quality.
- A casa era antiga. (The house was old.)
B. FOI (Ser for a Completed Event)
Use foi to describe the core quality of a specific, finished event.
- A reunião foi uma seca. (The meeting was a bore.)
C. ESTAVA (Estar for a Background Condition)
Use estava to describe a temporary state that was in progress.
- Eu estava cansado, por isso não fui. (I was tired, so I didn’t go.)
D. ESTEVE (Estar for a Completed State)
Use esteve to describe a temporary state for a specific, finished period.
- Ele esteve doente no Natal. (He was sick at Christmas.)
Common Pitfalls for English Speakers
The Food Dilemma: “Foi bom” vs. “Estava bom”
You’ve just finished a meal. What do you say? This is where many of us trip up.
Use foi to describe the whole event, but use estava to describe the state of the food itself.
In Portugal, o jantar or o almoço can mean the food itself, not just the party.
- O jantar estava ótimo! (The dinner/food was great!) — Use this 99% of the time when talking about how the food tasted.
- O jantar foi bom. (The dinner was good.) — Use this if you are judging the event (the company, the atmosphere, the whole night).
- Warning: Avoid saying “A comida foi boa.” It sounds very odd to a native speaker. Stick to estava.
Street Tip: If you want to sound really local, use the word o comer (the eating/the food) as a noun.
A: Quando é que fica pronto o comer? (When is the food ready?)
B: Já está! O comer estava muito bom, não estava? (The food was really good, wasn’t it?)
The Feelings Dilemma: “Estava feliz” vs. “Fiquei feliz”
While estava describes a state of being, we often use the verb ficar (to become) to express a change in emotion.
- Estava feliz naquele dia. (I was happy that day.) — Background feeling.
- Fiquei feliz com o presente. (I was/became happy with the gift.) — A reaction to something.
You’ve Got This!
It might seem complex, but it’s not a guessing game.
- First, ask: Is it a core quality (ser) or a temporary state (estar)?
- Then, ask: Is it a background scene (imperfect) or a completed event (preterite)?
To see how these past tenses fit into the bigger timeline, check out my master guide on Portuguese Verb Tenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
[!faq]- What’s the real difference between “O meu avô era padeiro” and “O meu avô foi padeiro”? They are equally common, but they change the focus. “Ele era padeiro” sets the scene—you’re probably about to tell a story about his life. “Ele foi padeiro” states it as a completed fact or a chapter that is now closed. You’d use foi if you’re listing things he did: “He was a baker, then he was a driver.”
[!faq]- Can I say “A comida foi boa”? Honestly? No. It sounds quite weird. If you want to compliment the food, always use estava. If you want to compliment the whole night out, use foi for the jantar (event).
[!faq]- Why do people say “Ele esteve em Lisboa” but “Ele era de Lisboa”? Because being in a place is a snapshot (estar), but being from a place is your DNA (ser). He esteve (was temporarily) in Lisbon, but he era (was inherently) from Lisbon.
