fue
/fwe/from spelling rules
The English word went is translated into Spanish as fue.
fue is used to describe moving from one place to another in the past. While fue is the standard way to say he, she or it went, you may also encounter other forms depending on who is performing the action, such as fui for I went or fuiste for you went (informal). In more formal contexts, the phrase dirigirse a can be used to express the idea of having went to a place.
Which one should you use?
This differs from fui, used for I went and fuiste, used for an informal you went.
How do you pronounce it?
/fwe/
Did you know?
- The word fue is a rare case where two entirely different verbs, ir meaning 'to go' and ser meaning 'to be', share the exact same conjugation in the past tense.
- While fue is the direct translation of 'went', speakers in Spain often use he ido for actions that happened today, whereas a speaker in Mexico would likely use fui.
- Depending on the country, speakers may use se fue instead of fue to emphasize that someone not only went to a place but specifically departed or left.
Examples in context
- Él fue a Nara.He went to Nara.This sentence uses fue to describe someone going to a specific location.Tatoeba #817689 by Shishir, translation #288256 by CK
- Fue a la feria.He went to the fair.This sentence uses fue to describe someone going to an event.Tatoeba #12987681 by Alejandr0, translation #8414924 by Amastan
- Ella fue con él.She went with him.This sentence uses fue to describe someone traveling with another person.Tatoeba #1258440 by marcelostockle, translation #887593 by CK
- El diplomático se dirigió al consulado.The diplomat went to the consulate.
- Ayer me fui al cine con mis amigos.Yesterday, I went to the movies with my friends.
- Fui al mercado a comprar frutas y verduras.I went to the market to buy fruits and vegetables.
- ¿Fuiste a la fiesta anoche?Did you go to the party last night?
- Cuando acabé el trabajo, fui directamente al aeropuerto para tomar mi vuelo.After finishing work, I went straight to the airport to catch my flight.
- 661 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are talking about a friend's weekend plans.
- Sofía¿Tu hermano fue al cine ayer?Did your brother go to the cinema yesterday?
- AlejandroNo, él fue a la montaña.No, he went to the mountains.
- Sofía¡Qué bien! ¿Fue con amigos?That's great! Did he go with friends?
- AlejandroSí, él fue con su primo.Yes, he went with his cousin.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
