Cuando era niño = When I was a child (ser niño - characteristic)
Mi vida era dura cuando estaba en China. = My life was hard (ser duro - definitive characteristic) when I was in China (estar en - location). (No boundaries - vague timing.) If you want to set boundaries, change either verb, or both verbs, to the preterite.
Last edited by Rusty; August 09, 2011 at 09:24 PM.
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