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Ese diario fue un regalo inolvidable.

Ese diario fue un regalo inolvidable.
That diary was an unforgettable gift.
From Lesson 102:The preterite of ser and ir (fui, fuiste)·Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about Ese diario fue un regalo inolvidable.

Since "fue" is the preterite for both "ser" and "ir", how do I know which one it is here?
Both ser (to be) and ir (to go) share the exact same forms in the preterite tense. You have to tell them apart by context! Since "That diary went an unforgettable gift" makes no sense, fue has to mean "was" (from ser).
Why use the preterite of "ser" (fue) here instead of "estar" (estuvo)?
We use ser to identify what something is or to state a fact about its core identity. Here, you are identifying the diary as "a gift." Estar is used for locations, feelings, and temporary states, which doesn't fit this sentence.
Why is it "ese diario" instead of "eso diario"?
Diario is a masculine singular noun, so it needs the masculine singular word for "that", which is ese. Eso is the neutral "that". It is only used when referring to a general idea, a situation, or an unknown object, never directly in front of a noun.
Does the adjective "inolvidable" change if it describes a feminine noun?
No, it stays exactly the same! Adjectives that end in -e or a consonant (like inolvidable, grande, or fácil) usually have the same form for both masculine and feminine nouns. You only need to change it if the noun becomes plural, in which case you add an -s to make it inolvidables.

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