Era vs. Hubo

[Aprendo]

Ignorant question here, but....

My friend wrote about a past event:

She wrote "hubo tormenta." --> There was a storm.

Could she have wrote "era tormenta?"

Same meaning? Different meaning?

She's from Guatemala. I am not used to haring 'hubo' much.


Thanks to anyone that can help.

[Rusty]

'Hubo' is correct.'

'Hubo' is the singular third-person preterit form of 'hay' (an impersonal form of 'haber'). 'Hay' means 'there is' or 'there are' in the present tense. In the preterit tense, it means 'there was'.

'Era' is the imperfect tense form of 'ser'. 'Fue' is the preterit form.
Your friend could not have written 'fue' and meant 'there was'. The impersonal form 'hubo' (preterit tense) is proper usage.

[Aprendo]

Gracias, Rusy. Te Agradezco.

[Rusty]

No hay de qué.