How do I say: "I didn’t call because I had a cold"


If you wanted to say that you didn’t call someone because you had a cold, do
you say: 風邪をひいてたから電話しませんでした or do you say: 風邪をひいたから電話しませんでした (or maybe even
風邪をひいてたから電話してませんでした?) This whole ています／てます thing is really confusing to me.




I think

  * 風邪をひい **て(い)た** から電話 **し** ませんでした

is most natural while

  * 風邪をひい **た** から電話しませんでした

is ok.

On the other hand 電話し **て(い)** ませんでした is usually odd.

テイル形 has various meanings and I suppose you can check your textbook
([This](http://www.wayaku.jp/blog/?p=758) may give the idea of its variety).
Which meaning is the default varies from verb to verb.

Without context,

  * 電話している means progressive 'is calling', so 電話してませんでした would mean 'wasn't calling', which wouldn't fit in the sentence in question.
  * 風邪をひいている does not mean progressive (in the process of getting cold), but simply indicate the subject is in state of having a cold. 風邪をひいた means a simple past, which works ok in the sentence.

