Voted Best Answer
Feb 15, 2015 - 08:21 PM
Fui is the past tense of Ser, and it's also the past tense of Ir. Estuve is the past tense of Estar. So if you want to figure out if you want to use fui or estuve, look at the the sentence in the present tense:
"I am always a good guy", that's a innate quality, so you use Ser: "Yo siempre soy un buen chico". In the past: "Yo siempre fui un buen chico".
"Today I am sick", that's a temporary situation, so you use estar: "Hoy yo estoy enfermo". In the past: "Ayer yo estuve enfermo".
As for "fui" to mean "Went", you will have the context to figure out if this is went or was. "Yo siempre fui un lunatico" (I've always been a lunatic). "Yo siempre fui a esta tienda con mi hermana" (I always went to this shop with my sister).
You'll get used to it. I was very confused too at the beginning and it is now natural to me.
"I am always a good guy", that's a innate quality, so you use Ser: "Yo siempre soy un buen chico". In the past: "Yo siempre fui un buen chico".
"Today I am sick", that's a temporary situation, so you use estar: "Hoy yo estoy enfermo". In the past: "Ayer yo estuve enfermo".
As for "fui" to mean "Went", you will have the context to figure out if this is went or was. "Yo siempre fui un lunatico" (I've always been a lunatic). "Yo siempre fui a esta tienda con mi hermana" (I always went to this shop with my sister).
You'll get used to it. I was very confused too at the beginning and it is now natural to me.