# 26. Past Tense of "Ser" and "Ir"

> Source: [video](https://youtube.com/watch?v=YHDZSHCt1DE&t=6488s)

`Ser` (to be) and `ir` (to go) share the **exact same** preterite forms: `fui, fuiste, fue, fuimos, fuisteis, fueron`. Context — especially the preposition `a` after the verb — tells them apart.

## Key Rules
- `Ser` and `ir` are **identical** in the preterite.
- Tell them apart by context: if the preposition `a` follows (with or without an infinitive), the verb is `ir`.
- `Ser` in the preterite is used for events that **specifically happened** (when, where, how events took place).
- For describing what things or people **were like**, use the imperfect (`era`) — coming in a later chapter.

## Conjugation / Pattern Tables

### ser / ir — preterite (same forms)
| Pronoun | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| yo | fui | I was / I went |
| tú | fuiste | you were / you went |
| él/ella | fue | he was / he went |
| nosotros | fuimos | we were / we went |
| vosotros | fuisteis | y'all were / y'all went |
| ellos | fueron | they were / they went |

## Examples
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo voy a la tienda. | I go to the store. (present, ir) |
| Yo fui a la tienda. | I went to the store. (preterite, ir) |
| Tú vas a hacer tu tarea. | You go to do your homework. (present, ir) |
| Tú fuiste a hacer tu tarea. | You went to do your homework. (preterite, ir) |
| Ella fue al concierto ayer. | She went to the concert yesterday. (ir) |
| Fuimos a ver la fiesta. | We went to see the party. (ir) |
| La película fue aburrida. | The movie was boring. (ser — event/judgment) |
| Fue difícil hacer la prueba. | It was difficult to do the test. (ser) |
| La fiesta fue en el club. | The party was in the club. (ser — event location) |

## Notes & Gotchas
- The classic test: look for the preposition `a` after the conjugation. `Fui a la tienda` = "I went"; `Fui doctor` = "I was a doctor."
- `Fue` is one of the most common Spanish words — often translated as "it was."
- `Fue` (preterite) vs `era` (imperfect): `La película fue aburrida` = "The movie was boring (as an event)." `La película era aburrida` = "The movie used to be / was [generally] boring." Use `fue` for completed events, `era` for descriptions of how things were.
- No accents on `fui`, `fue`, `fuiste`, etc. — these forms are exceptions to the usual accent rules.
