Irregular Past Tense — Practice

1. Complete: "Ayer yo _______ (ir) al supermercado."

Answer: fui

Explanation: Ir is fully irregular in the preterite: yo FUI. Remember ir and ser share these forms.

2. Complete: "Ella _______ (tener) un problema ayer."

Answer: tuvo

Explanation: Tener uses the u-stem TUV- with the -o ending for él/ella: tuvo. "Tuve" is the yo form. (Tenía is a different past tense you will meet later.)

3. Complete: "¿Qué _______ (hacer / tú) el sábado?"

Answer: hiciste

Explanation: Hacer uses the i-stem HIC- + -iste for tú: hiciste. (What did you do on Saturday?)

4. "It was a great party": "_______ una fiesta genial."

Answer: Fue

Explanation: Ser in the preterite, third person singular: FUE. "Fui" is the yo form — the party is "it", not "I".

5. Complete: "Anoche no _______ (poder / yo) dormir."

Answer: pude

Explanation: Poder takes the u-stem PUD- + -e for yo: pude. (Last night I couldn't sleep.)

6. Complete: "Mis amigos _______ (venir) a la cena."

Answer: vinieron

Explanation: Venir uses the i-stem VIN- + -ieron for ellos: vinieron. "Venieron" keeps the wrong stem; "vinimos" is the nosotros form.

7. Complete: "Yo _______ (ver) esa película la semana pasada."

Answer: vi

Explanation: Ver has a short preterite with no accent: yo VI. (I saw that film last week.)

8. Complete: "Ellos me _______ (decir) la verdad."

Answer: dijeron

Explanation: Decir → dij- stem, and after j the ending drops the i: DIJERON (never "dijieron").