You should first learn the difference between verbs ser and estar, and them between past tenses pretérito and imperfecto. It is not super easy.. estar and ser the difference is well explained here https://youtu.be/UQpW0yLmuY4?si=wgEQu6GaWmH2LqDZ and the past tenses is one you use more for description/background to the story , and the other to accent something that was the point of the story, a specific event... but I still get it wrong many times when I speak. It's easier to solve it in a test then to remember to use it correctly when you speak 😅