fueron
/fweɾon/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "they went" is translated as fueron.
This is the past tense of the verb go, used to describe moving from one place to another. Depending on the context, it can also mean the act of departing or leaving a place, especially when used as part of the phrase se fueron.
Which one should you use?
The form fueron is the preterite form for both the verbs *ir* (to go) and *ser* (to be), so its meaning depends entirely on the context of the sentence. It can mean "they went" or "they/you all were". While fueron describes moving to a destination, the phrase se fueron emphasizes the act of departing or leaving a place.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Hispanic American countries, it is common to use the construction se fueron para followed by a location to express where someone went.
How does it change in a sentence?
Additionally, adding the reflexive pronoun se to fueron to create se fueron changes the nuance from simply traveling to a destination to the specific act of leaving or going away.
How do you pronounce it?
/fweɾon/
Did you know?
- The word fueron is a rare example of a perfect homonym where two completely different verbs, 'to go' and 'to be', share the exact same form in the past tense.
- Using se fueron can signal a definitive end to a relationship or a permanent departure from a city, rather than just leaving a room.
- A listener can instantly distinguish between 'they went' and 'they were' just by listening for the preposition a, which acts as a 'travel' signal.
Examples in context
- Se fueron a pescar.They went fishing.This sentence shows how to use fueron to describe going fishing.Tatoeba #882494 by Shishir, translation #305361 by saeb
- Fueron a Sao Paulo.They went to Sao Paulo.This sentence uses fueron to indicate a destination, Sao Paulo.Tatoeba #2372161 by Shishir, translation #4823536 by whitefishglobal
- Ayer fueron al cine.Yesterday, they went to the movies.This sentence uses fueron to describe a past action involving the movies.Tatoeba #812663 by Shishir, translation #1439497 by marcelostockle
- Ellos fueron al cineThey went to the cinema
- Se fueron de la reunión tempranoThey left the meeting early
- Ellos se fueron de fiestaThey went partying
- Se fueron de viajeThey went on a trip
- Se marcharon de la playa tempranoThey left the beach early
- Se fueron para casaThey went home
- Ellos fueron al parqueThey went to the park
- Ellos fueron rápidamente al supermercadoThey quickly went to the supermarket
- 51 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are talking about their friends' weekend plans.
- Sofía¿Dónde están tus amigos?Where are your friends?
- MateoNo lo sé, ellos fueron a la playa.I don't know, they went to the beach.
- Sofía¡Qué envidia! Yo también quiero ir.I'm so jealous! I want to go too.
- MateoTal vez tú también puedas ir mañana.Maybe you can go tomorrow too.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
