"Used to" and the verb in the past both refer to actions or habits that occurred in the past. However, there are some key differences between the two:
"Used to" is used to talk about past habits or repeated actions that are no longer true in the present. For example: "I used to play tennis every weekend." This means that at one point in the past, the person played tennis regularly, but no longer does.
The verb in the past tense simply describes an action that took place at a specific point in the past. For example: "I played tennis last weekend." This sentence indicates that the person played tennis at a specific time in the past.
In summary, "used to" is used to talk about past habits or repeated actions that are no longer true, while the verb in the past tense is used to describe a specific action that took place in the past.