examples

To form the simple past need to take the verb as we find in the dictionary passing in past participle in regular verbs only we add "ed"

Example

Yesterday we listened to the radio for four hours.
Ayer escuchamos la radio durante cuatro horas

Some verbs have spelling changes when adding "ed"

Example 
If the verb ends in "-e", just add "-d" to form the simple past.
They live in a big house.
Viven en una casa grande
They lived in a big house.
Vivieron en una casa grande
 
If the verb consists of only one syllable and the last three letters are: consonant plus vowel plus consonant, we will double the last consonant and then add "-ed".
Example

The police stop the car.
La policía para el coche
The police stopped the car.
La policía paró el coche

* Note: Many verbs form the past tense of an irregular shape, so you have to estudiárselos memory they do not follow the rule above.

Example

Yesterday we read all the explanations on English verbs.
Ayer leímos todas las explicaciones sobre los verbos ingleses

To use the negative form "did not" (didn´t) before the verb.
Example

Yesterday we did not study Spanish.
Ayer no estudiamos español

If we deny the verb is the verb "to be", no need to use the auxiliary "did not" simply add "not" after the verb "to be" as of simple past.
Example

Yesterday I was not (wasn't) at home.
Ayer no estuve en casa

 For the interrogative use "did" (not translated into Spanish) in front of the person. Example

Did you study Spanish yesterday?
¿Estudiaste español ayer?

Si es el verbo "to be"  simplemente lo colocamos delante de la persona. 

Ejemplo

Were you at home yesterday?
¿Estuviste en casa ayer? 

SOME GENERAL PURPOSE
We use the past simple to talk about a past action or event that took place at a specific point in the past. We can say exactly when it happened, or if they prefer.

Example

Yesterday I went to the cinema.
Ayer fui al cine
This morning I went to the supermarket.
Esta mañana fui al supermercado
I worked for the same company for two years.
Trabajé para la misma empresa durante dos años

This last example shows that the action of working for the company itself is finished but did not specify when it started and ended. The past tense refers to a past action (completed) in a past tense. This means that not only the action is completed but also the time when it happened is over and past.

Example

Last week I read a book.
La semana pasada leí un libro
Last year I travelled around Europe.
El año pasado viajé por Europa

We use the term "used to" with the verb in this simple but implies a past action that was repeated during a period of time (past) or were common (in the past).

Example
The girls used to play with their dolls.
Las niñas solían jugar con sus muñecas

This example means that girls do not play with dolls, but in the past, the action of playing with dolls was common, frequent and repeated by the girls. With the simple past is often found in the sentence adverbs of time specific to the past as: yesterday (ayer), the day befote yesterday (anteayer), last week (la semana pasada), last year (el año pasado), two years ago (hace dos años), etc.

Example

We went to the cinema yesterday evening.
Fuimos al cine ayer por la tarde
He had a Chinese meal two weeks ago.
Comió una comida china hace dos semanas
They went to Australia last year on their holiday.
Fueron a Australia el año pasado en sus vacaciones