Walking-Past Continuous
I was walking alone through the park when I heard something.
Estaba caminando sola por el parque cuando oí algo.
But I always see and hear "iba caminando".
¿Cuál es correcto y por qué?
4 Answers
Both are correct.
Both are correct.
Iba caminando has a different meaning than Estaba caminando. It conveys you were in the process of doing something without paying attention whereas Estaba caminando implies you were cognizant of your actions. It's a very subtle difference and it depends on context.
From Ask.com:
Ir + gerund: Sometimes, ir is used in the same way as andar. But it usually doesn't have a negative connotation. In fact, it usually suggests that the action in progress is proceeding gradually or steadily. Again, translations of ir followed by the Spanish gerund can vary with the context.
Eres Mi Religión Lyrics
Iba caminando por las calles empapadas en olvido.
Iba por los parques con fantasmas y con ángeles caídos.
Iba sin luz, iba sin sol,
Iba sin un sentido, iba muriéndome.
Iba volando sobre el mar
Con las alas rotas.
I go......or I went in this context? Or is just for lyrical enhancement.
I was (went) walking through the streets drenched in oblivion.
I went through the parks with ghosts and with fallen angels.
I was without light, ...
I was (went) flying over the sea
With broken wings
The Past Continuous....
I was eating when = estaba comiendo cuando..
I was sleeping when = estaba durmiendo cuando...
I was talking when you interrupt me. = Estaba hablando cuando me interrumpiste.
You could not use ....iba hablando cuando... or iba durmiendo, could you? Yet you can say....iba caminando or estaba cambinando. ?
I show these lyrics from the band Maná because in english you can say....I went walking or I went flying and it works perfectly well. But you can not say I went eating or I went sleeping.
