Travel, trip, journey

Question

Travel, trip, journey

I am not sure but if someone is going to travel and I want to wish her a good trip/journey/travel?

I think that "travel" is only a verb, but you can use it in a "travel agency". Is that it?

I am going to do/make a travel. (I think, perhaps, this is not correct).

I am going to do/make a trip

I am going to do/make a journey

Well, I would like to know what is the difference among the three nouns. And which verb I should use with them. Thank you, as always.

Answer 1

Hi Nila. As always, you have some very good questions here.

"I am going to do/make a travel" is incorrect because we generally use the word "travel" as a verb. However, you can say "In my travels I have seen many things."

"I am going to do/make a trip" would be better said as "I am going to take a trip."

"I am going to do/make a journey" would be better said as "I am going to take a journey."

The most common way to wish someone a good trip is to say "Have a good trip!" You can also say "Have a good journey" but it's less common.

Yes, I forgot "take a trip". Good point Marianne. - Nicole-B, MAR 17, 2010

Now thinking about the verb "take", that must sound very unusual to a Spanish speaking person. - Nicole-B, MAR 17, 2010

Answer 2

Hi Nila,

Unfortunately, all of the above sentences would be incorrect. Here are the correct versions:

I am going to travel. (I love to travel.; I would like to travel)

I am going on a trip.

I am going on a journey.

We don't use the verbs "do/make" when referring to this topic.

The word "travel" is a verb. However, it can be used as a noun when you add "s" (travels). eg. "I kept a journal describing all of my travels."; "During my many travels, I found this unusual treasure."

And, "Journey" & "Travels" give us the feeling of more time spent than "Trip." - 005faa61, MAR 17, 2010

True. - Nicole-B, MAR 17, 2010

Answer 3

We don't use the verbs "do/make" when referring to this topic.

This is just a note to my comment above. When wishing a person well before they go away you might say one of the following:

**Have a nice trip.

Have a safe trip.

I wish you well on your journey.

I hope you enjoy your travels.** (Not very common, but an example of using "travel" as a noun.)

What I usually say is: "Please, I beg of you, take me with you on your trip!!!"

Answer 4

"travel" can, indeed, be used as a noun in English (it need not be plural). However, in modern English, the plural form is much more common. Even "modern" speakers would probably accept/recognize "Travel broadens the mind." as "reasonable" English.

In this day and age, English speakers (and, I suspect, the speakers of most languages) do very little reading. Their exposure to language (beyond their daily conversations) is by way of television. They are ignorant of the expressions used by their grandparents (and, in many cases, of their parents), to say nothing of preceding generations. Thus, in many cases, when someone says "we don't say this" (or "this is not said"), you should understand this to mean "I don't say this nor do my immediate acquaintances."

When having a conversation/exchange with someone, you need, always, to take into consideration the abilities/limitations of the person(s) with whom you are speaking. In sites like this (those aimed at second language acquisition), the "highest praise" that one can confer is generally "native speaker". Nonetheless, it is a simple fact that the language abilities of "native speakers" can range from "barely intelligible" to "should be a member of the R.A.E."

Answer 5

And, "Journey" & "Travels" give us the feeling of more time spent than "Trip." - JulianChivis 2 hrs ago flag

This reminded me of something I was going to say in my original answer Nila. Lately, it seems that the word "journey" is becoming the popular word to use to express an ongoing experience. For instance:

I am excited to see where this journey of learning Spanish will take me.

This illness has been long and painful, but the journey has made me stronger.

It seems that the word "journey" is not commonly used for traveling, trips, vacations, holidays (European), etc. anymore. It is still grammatically correct in these contexts. However, "journey" is starting to be used in a more descriptive way, as I have shown above.

This is completely new for me, Nicole. - nila45, MAR 17, 2010

Answer 6

Thank you, very much. I think you have answered very well my questions.

You see, the case is that I have seen a lot when I was studying English. That is the reason why I sense that your sentences are correct because I know the grammar some way. I have seen written them somewhere. But I am not able to remember by myself.