"Vi la fuente grande" versus "Subí las escaleras". Why no tilde on the first one?

Question

I've just finished lesson 2.6 of Paralee's course, on the Preterit tense. I think I've got the hang of it, but this was one thing I couldn't find a reason for: "vi" has no tilde but "subí" does. Is one of them irregular?

And since I'm asking I might as well inquire as to what the last sentence meant:

"Subisteis las escaleras en lugar de usar el ascensor."

You all climbed the stairs..in place...to use the lift. Is that like "instead of using the lift"?

Answer 1

Ver has no accents on the preterit tense Yo Vi Tu Viste El Vio Nosotros Vimos Vos. Visteis Ellos Vieron

Subir has accents on yo and on the el form the accent is on the o. And yes, it means:

You all are going up or climbing the stairs instead of using the elevator (lift).

en lugar de

en vez de Both can be used for 'instead of'

Answer 2

¡Enhorabuena! Hamfist

That is exactly right

Subisteis [you (pl.) climbed]

las escaleras [the stairs]

en lugar de [instead of, in lieu of]

usar el ascensor [using the elevator]

I am not sure if ver is considered irregular in the preterit, but I don't think so. It does follow the exact same conjugation as dar which is listed as an irregular. It is not listed as irregular verb, however. I think that this has to do with the fact that it still follows the regular -i, -iste, -io, -imos, -isteis, -ieron pattern for preterit -er verbs (even though it does not carry the accent).