we was talking

USAGE SUMMARY

"we was talking" is not correct grammar in written English.
The correct form is "we were talking." "Was" is the singular form of the verb "to be," while "were" is the plural form. You can use "we were talking" in a sentence to describe a past action or event that involved more than one person speaking to each other. Example: We were talking about our plans for the weekend when the phone rang.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

One of White's C.O. girlfriends, Jennifer Owens, told him on the phone: Me and my sisters we was talking right. . . .

The New Yorker

"Well, go on back in the house and let me and Bono finish what we was talking about," he tells her, adding, "I got some talk for you later.

The New Yorker

He said: "I didn't really take him at face value when we was talking but to be fair to the man he's a top guy and when he did it, it was unbelievable.

BBC

"He's talking about an article I did where we was talking about doing the new album for the fans," he admitted.

Huffington Post

Ten, 15 minutes later we was talking and my neighbor comes and knocks and says, "There's a guy layin' out here with a green Eddie Bauer coat on, anybody know who that is?" At the time, it didn't dawn on us.

Huffington Post

We was talking to a fisherman last night, young, aggressive—I can tell ya, I don't know if there's any more aggressive fisherman on the island... in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador he's that stressed out, that he had a condition, caused by stress, that his mouth had a medical condition, that he thought he had cancer.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

"We were talking".

The New York Times

"So we are talking.

The New Yorker

We're talking".

The New Yorker

Look, we're talking.

The New York Times - Sports

We're talking years".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "we were talking" in formal writing. This ensures grammatical correctness and maintains credibility.

Common error

The error of using "we was talking" arises from a misunderstanding of subject-verb agreement. Remember that "was" is singular, so avoid using it with plural subjects like "we".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we was talking" functions as an attempt to describe a past continuous action involving multiple people. However, it contains a grammatical error due to incorrect subject-verb agreement. Ludwig AI indicates that the correct form is "we were talking."

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "we was talking" is used in some contexts, it is grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct form is "we were talking". As Ludwig AI highlights, using the correct plural verb form is essential for clear and effective communication. While examples of "we was talking" can be found, especially in quoted speech within news articles, adhering to proper grammar enhances the credibility and clarity of your writing. Alternatives like "we were discussing" offer more formal and grammatically sound options.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we talked about

Provides the most straightforward and grammatically correct substitute, preserving the original meaning.

we were discussing

Replaces the incorrect "was" with the correct plural form "were", maintaining a formal tone with "discussing".

we spoke about

Uses "spoke" as a simple past tense verb, offering a direct and clear alternative.

we were conversing about

Offers a more formal and sophisticated alternative to "talking".

we had a conversation about

Emphasizes the interactive nature of the talking, providing a more descriptive and formal alternative.

we chatted about

Suggests a more informal and relaxed conversation.

we addressed

Suggests a more formal and deliberate discussion of a topic.

we touched on

Implies a brief or cursory discussion of a topic.

we considered

Focuses on the act of thinking and discussing options or ideas.

we negotiated

Implies a discussion aimed at reaching an agreement or compromise.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "we was talking"?

The correct way to phrase this is "we were talking". The verb "were" is the plural form of "was" and should be used with the plural pronoun "we".

When should I use "we were talking" in a sentence?

Use "we were talking" to describe a past action or event involving more than one person in conversation. For example, "We were talking about the new project when the manager arrived".

What can I say instead of "we were talking" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, you can use alternatives like "we were discussing" or "we had a conversation about".

Is "we was talking" ever acceptable?

While "we was talking" might be heard in some dialects or informal speech, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard written English. Stick to "we were talking" for clarity and correctness.