1. el pretérito: the preterit(e)
Both Spanish and English have many different past tenses.
The preterite tense expresses the absolute past about something that happened and is done and over.

2. Do not write…. Examples of different past tenses:
I spoke (I did speak) Note: spoke = did speak
I used to speak.
I was speaking.
I have spoken.
I had spoken.
I will have spoken.
I would have spoken.
Etc.

3. Conjugating the English preterite
I spoke…
She ate…
He put…
You ran…
They fell…
You all swam…
He wrote…
It hurt…
We drew…
We earned…
He paid…
Reported…
She wasted…
I talked…
I corresponded…
They skated…
You texted…
They ed…

4. -er & -ir conjugations -í -imos -iste -isteis -ió -ieron yo nosotros
vosotros él
ella
Ud.
ellos
ellas
Uds. -í
-imos
-iste
-isteis
-ió
-ieron

5. example I wrote we wrote you wrote Y’all wrote he wrote she wrote
you (formal) wrote
they wrote
y’all (formal) wrote
escribí
escribimos
escribiste
escribisteis
escribió
escribieron

6. I ate last week. 
Comí la semana pasada.
I made/scored a goal.
Metí un gol.
She opened the door. 
Abrió la puerta.
We sold the bike. 
Vendimos la bicicleta.
Y’all went out last night? 
¿Salisteis anoche?
They drank milk. 
Bebieron la leche.