(Ya) va siendo hora = Ya era hora?

Question

It's about time. But is it because va (movement) + progressive ing = AKA in "La gente va esperando". Or is it just an idiom? Gracias.

Answer 1

I completely agree with what you're saying jeezzle, I use and hear stuff like this all the time. These all make sense to me as a partial native.

GAC is native though, I wonder if he is saying there is a part I am missing. Like maybe "ya" is necessary for the "va" _ indo / ando phrasing but I don't think it is, I can't be certain though, thought I had this one down pretty well. - jeezzle, Sep 12, 2011

I'm sure it has to do with the fact that you and I are used to hearing the crazy things we mexican spanish speakers say :P - unMica, Sep 12, 2011

Answer 2

"La gente va esperando" is not correct, at least in Argentina. "Ya va siendo hora" is only an idiom that means "It's about time" and is only used in the present. If you use "ya era hora" you are referring to something that took place in the past.

Hope it helps!

Buena respuesta. - Jeremias, Sep 12, 2011

Are you suggesting that since "waiting" is an action that can never complete like "learning" that "ya va esperando" does not work there, or are you saying that "ya" is a necessary component of the "IR - ando / endo" slowly getting somewhere thing.? - jeezzle, Sep 12, 2011

And that ""La gente va esperando" but ""La gente ya va esperando" works though? "La gente va esperando is used all the time at work by Mexicans to say we are on a wait, those people "are still wating". - jeezzle, Sep 12, 2011

Answer 3

La gente va esperando is a phrase said all the time by the Mexicans at work. My understanding is a the movement verb (IR) + ing = slowly (gradual build up) (esperando) waiting, they are still waiting slowly. This is from a group of natives and I have been using it / hearing it everyday for years.

1. Ya era hora to mean present "It's about time" - Ya era hora

2. Wordreference - ya era hora idiom to mean "its about time"

3. The guys at worked confirmed that "Ya era hora" and "Ya va siendo hora" are the same thing to them., it's about time (not it was about time as it's a current thing they say, and that is how I always used it, learned this one years ago unless I've been wrong for years.)

As for the "La gente va esperando" being wrong.

Voy tense as movement with esperando