Asking About Past Experiences in Spanish: Questions with the Preterite
Learn to ask others what they did, using common preterite question forms like ¿Qué hiciste? and ¿Fuiste...? for everyday past-experience conversations.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
This lesson teaches you to ask other people about past experiences in Spanish, not to tell your own story. The key difference is focus: instead of narrating what you did, you will learn question patterns that invite someone else to answer. You will practice the preterite tense in tú questions such as ¿Qué hiciste? (What did you do?) and ¿Fuiste...? (Did you go...?). These forms are widely used in Latin American Spanish. We will also note a few regional variants, such as vos forms in parts of Central America and Argentina.
By the end, you can…
- ask someone what they did at a specific past time, using ¿Qué hiciste...?
- ask yes/no questions about past experiences with ¿Fuiste...?, ¿Viste...?, and ¿Comiste...?
- use time expressions like el fin de semana pasado and ayer to frame past questions.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
¿Qué hiciste el fin de semana pasado?
What did you do last weekend?
keh EE-sees-teh el feen deh seh-MAH-nah pah-SAH-doh
Standard Latin American form. In parts of Argentina, Uruguay, and Central America you may hear ¿Qué hiciste vos?; the tú form is widely understood.
¿Fuiste al cine?
Did you go to the movies?
FWEES-teh al SEE-neh
Yes/no past question with ir (to go). Answer with Sí, fui or No, no fui.
¿Viste algo interesante?
Did you see anything interesting?
VEES-teh AL-goh een-teh-reh-SAHN-teh
Use with ver (to see). Useful for asking about events, shows, or trips.
¿Comiste en algún restaurante?
Did you eat at any restaurant?
koh-MEES-teh en al-GOON res-tow-RAHN-teh
Use with comer (to eat). Note that algún is used before a masculine singular noun: algún restaurante.
¿Cómo estuvo?
How was it?
KOH-moh es-TOO-voh
A follow-up question after someone mentions a past event. Estuvo is the preterite of estar for a completed experience.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To ask a tú question in the preterite, use the verb form that ends in -ste for regular verbs: hiciste (you did), fuiste (you went), viste (you saw), comiste (you ate). Put a question word first when needed: ¿Qué...? (What...?), ¿Dónde...? (Where...?), ¿Cuándo...? (When...?). Example: ¿Dónde comiste ayer? (Where did you eat yesterday?). For yes/no questions, keep the same word order and use rising intonation: ¿Fuiste a la fiesta? (Did you go to the party?).
When to use it
Use these questions when you want to invite someone to share a past experience, especially after a weekend, trip, or event. Add a time phrase to make the past clear: el fin de semana pasado (last weekend), ayer (yesterday), la semana pasada (last week), el año pasado (last year). Example: ¿Qué hiciste el sábado? (What did you do on Saturday?). If you are asking about a longer period, use the imperfect for habits, but for a single completed experience, the preterite is the natural choice: ¿Qué hiciste anoche? (What did you do last night?).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
¿Qué hiciste el fin de semana pasado?
What did you do last weekend?keh EE-sees-teh el feen deh seh-MAH-nah pah-SAH-dohFui a la playa con mi familia. ¿Y tú?
I went to the beach with my family. And you?FWEE ah lah PLAH-yah kohn mee fah-MEE-lyah. ee TOOYo no fui a la playa. ¿Comiste en algún restaurante?
I didn't go to the beach. Did you eat at any restaurant?yoh noh FWEE ah lah PLAH-yah. koh-MEES-teh en al-GOON res-tow-RAHN-tehSí, comí mariscos. ¿Viste algo interesante?
Yes, I ate seafood. Did you see anything interesting?see, koh-MEE mah-REES-kohs. VEES-teh AL-goh een-teh-reh-SAHN-tehA little context goes a long way
In Latin America, tú is common in most countries, but in parts of Argentina, Uruguay, and Central America, vos is used instead: ¿Qué hiciste vos? is normal there. In formal situations, use usted: ¿Qué hizo usted el fin de semana pasado? The tú form is still widely understood, so it is a safe choice for learners.
One thing to watch for
Using the present tense to ask about a past experience: ¿Qué haces el fin de semana pasado?
Try this instead: Use the preterite for a completed past experience: ¿Qué hiciste el fin de semana pasado? The time phrase el fin de semana pasado signals past time, so the verb must be past: hiciste, not haces.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Ask a friend what they did yesterday.
Show a sample answer
¿Qué hiciste ayer?
This uses the preterite tú form hiciste with the time phrase ayer. You could also say ¿Qué hiciste tú ayer? for emphasis, but the shorter form is natural.
2Ask a friend if they went to the party last night.
Show a sample answer
¿Fuiste a la fiesta anoche?
Fuiste is the preterite tú form of ir. The yes/no question uses rising intonation. You could also ask ¿Fuiste a la fiesta ayer por la noche? but anoche is more common.
3Ask a friend what they ate at the restaurant.
Show a sample answer
¿Qué comiste en el restaurante?
Comiste is the preterite tú form of comer. The question word qué comes first. You could also ask ¿Qué comiste allí? if the restaurant is already clear from context.
To ask about past experiences, use the preterite tú form: hiciste, fuiste, viste, comiste. Add time phrases like el fin de semana pasado or ayer, and use rising intonation for yes/no questions.
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