Spanish Phrase
El verano pasado fuimos a acampar.
Meaning
The sentence means 'Last summer we went camping.' It indicates a completed action in the past, specifying the season and the activity.
When to use
Use this phrase when recounting a past vacation or outdoor adventure that took place during the previous summer.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Elveranopasadofuimosaacampar
Definite article (El)
El is the masculine singular definite article used before nouns like 'verano' (summer).
Noun (verano)
Verano means 'summer' and is masculine, so it takes the article 'el'.
Adjective after noun (pasado)
In Spanish, adjectives can follow the noun; 'pasado' means 'last' when placed after 'verano'.
Preterite of ir (fuimos)
Fuimos is the first person plural preterite form of 'ir' meaning 'we went'.
Preposition a + infinitive
The preposition 'a' introduces an infinitive verb to express purpose: 'a acampar' = 'to camp'.
Infinitive verb (acampar)
Acampar means 'to camp' and is used here as a purpose complement.
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué hiciste el verano pasado?
What did you do last summer?
El verano pasado fuimos a acampar.
Last summer we went camping.
✕Common Mistakes
El pasado verano fuimos a acampar.
Do not place 'pasado' before the noun unless you mean 'past' as an adjective (e.g., 'pasado verano' is uncommon).
El verano pasado fuimos para acampar.
Avoid using 'para acampar' when you want to express the purpose of going; 'a acampar' is idiomatic after verbs of movement.
↔Alternatives
El verano anterior fuimos de campamento.
The previous summer we went on a camping trip.
El verano pasado hicimos una acampada.
Last summer we did a camping.
En el verano pasado, fuimos a acampar.
In last summer, we went camping.
Cultural Tip
Camping (acampar) is popular in many Spanish‑speaking countries, especially in natural parks and rural areas. Remember to respect local regulations, such as fire bans and designated camping zones, which can vary by region.