ERA (and estaba) & FUI/FUE/FUIMOS (?and estuvo) May be some in sp 10 also

Question 1

ERA (&estaba) VS FUI ETC (& estuvo)

Answer 1

from HolaSpanish.com (some things can be era OR fue depending on how you use it)
Use ERA = (the “Ser” form called IMPERFECT=imperfecto tense) . Use ERA (OR THE SIMILAR ESTABA) WHEN:

1. When there’s not a known/stated or implied a sharp end to the (usually long/ not hours or a couple days) time period in the past being referred to.

ALSO USE ERA OR ESTABA FOR

2. .OBJECTS:
   -La casa era blanca (The house was white).
   -El coche era azul (The car was blue).
   -El anillo era de oro (The ring was made of gold).
   NONE KNOWN TO BE SHARPLY ENDING)

ALSO USE ERA OR ESTABA FOR

3. FOR DATES: Eg: Era Nov 15 quando…

ALSO USE ERA OR ESTABA FOR

4. Use ERAN when describing a repetitive event (hence its multiple) like birthdays, Christmases, Halloweens, work parties, New Years, St Patty’s Days…NOT KNOWN TO BE SHARPLY ENDING…Xmases will continue)

ALSO USE ERA OR ESTABA WHEN

4. DESCRIBING PEOPLE or things where you’re saying a person/thing “was” as= “USED TO BE” (BUT NOW….)
   Eg:
   -When she was a child she was timid but now she is socialable.
   -He had blond hair but now it is brown.
   -My TV was in my bedroom. Now its in my kitchen. BUT NOT SAYING EXACTLY WHEN THE CHANGE WAS

ALSO USE ERA OR ESTABA FOR

5. describing a past state or condition that was ongoing or habitual, with no precise beginning or end . Eg El era un buen estudiente.

ALSO USE ERA (OR ESTABA?) FOR

6. FOR “was” when saying… “was”:
   bien
   divertido
   interessante
   etc… AT LEAST EG: WHEN DESCRIBING BOOKS, MOVIES, ETC.. because the book movie whatever is still a good or interesting or fun thing.

AS ALKUDED TO ABOVE ESTABA IS SIMILAR TO ERA But seems nobody can really tell when it is used as opposed to using era.
- - -

 FUE while "fue" is used to describe a single, completed action or event in the past THAT HAS A PRECISE BEGINNING AND END

Use preterit /preterito tense of verb Ser= FUE for “was” for EVENTS OR THINGS OF A PARTICULAR DURATION
-a movie
-festival
-wedding
-conference
-course
-class or lesson
-a play
-a football game
-a day
etc.

YO FUI/ El Ellos/usted FUE AND NOSOTROS FUIMOS CAN ALSO MEAN “WENT”. NOT SO FOR ERA.

APPARENTLY ESTUVO IS LIKE FUE-SHARP DEMARCATED BUT NO ONE CAN SAY WHY TO USE ONE VS THE OTHE