Phrase · 🙇 Apologising and making excuses
Como no contestabas, pensé que estabas ocupado.
Since you weren’t answering, I thought you were busy.
B1making excusesinformalAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Como1conjunctionsince, asnoadverbnotcontestabas2verbyou were answeringcontestar · imperfect · 2nd sing.,pensé2verbI thoughtpensar · past · 1st sing.queconjunctionthatestabas3verbyou wereestar · imperfect · 2nd sing.ocupado3adjectivebusymasc. · sing..
- Como → contestabas: como (cause) comes first
- pensé → estabas: pensar que + indicative
- estabas → ocupado: estar + adjective
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1como = since, as: it gives the cause and comes first in the sentence. Connectors and discourse markers B1 →
- 2contestabas (imperfect, ongoing situation) vs pensé (preterite, the conclusion you reached). Preterite vs imperfect in narration →
- 3estar ocupado = to be busy: a state → estar; a woman is ocupada. Ser vs estar I: characteristics and states →
Variations
- Como no contestabas, pensé que estabas ocupada.
- Como no contestaba, pensé que estaba ocupado.