In Spanish, we use a special way of speaking called the preterite tense to talk about things that happened in the past and are finished.

There are some words that can help you know when to use the preterite tense. Let's look at five important words to remember:

1. Ayer (Yesterday): This word tells us about a specific time in the past.

   • Example: Ayer fui al cine. (Yesterday, I went to the movies.)

2. Anoche (Last night): Like "ayer," this word also refers to a specific time.

   • Example: Anoche comí pizza. (Last night, I ate pizza.)

3. El año pasado (Last year): This phrase shows that something happened in the past year.

   • Example: El año pasado viajé a España. (Last year, I traveled to Spain.)

4. Hace... (Ago): Use this when you want to say how long ago something happened.

   • Example: Hace dos días vi a Juan. (Two days ago, I saw Juan.)

5. Una vez (One time): This means that something happened just one time in the past.

   • Example: Una vez hice un maratón. (One time, I ran a marathon.)

By knowing these signal words, you can choose the right way to talk about past events.

This will help make your Spanish clearer and easier to understand!