fui
“fui” means “I went” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
I went
📝 In Action
Ayer fui al supermercado.
A1Yesterday I went to the supermarket.
Fui a España el verano pasado.
A1I went to Spain last summer.
Después del trabajo, fui directo a casa.
A2After work, I went straight home.
I was
Also: I became
📝 In Action
De niño, fui muy tímido.
A1As a child, I was very shy.
Fui profesor durante diez años.
A2I was a teacher for ten years.
La película fue muy buena.
A1The movie was very good.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: fui
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly means 'I went to the concert'?
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👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
'Fui' is a fascinating word because it comes from two different Latin verbs that merged. One was the Latin 'fui', which meant 'I was' (from the verb 'esse', to be). The other came from the Latin verb 'ire' (to go). Over time, the past tense forms of these two completely different verbs became identical in Spanish!
First recorded: 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How can I possibly know if 'fui' means 'I was' or 'I went'?
It's all about context! It might seem confusing, but native speakers never get it wrong. Look at the words that come after it. If you see 'a' or another word indicating a place ('a la tienda', 'a Madrid'), it means 'I went'. If you see a description or a profession ('feliz', 'doctor', 'alto'), it means 'I was'.
Why are the past tenses of 'ser' and 'ir' the same?
It's a historical accident! They come from two different Latin verbs, but over hundreds of years, their past tense forms evolved in Spanish until they became identical. While it seems strange, the context of the sentence always makes the meaning clear.