Does 'viajaba' and 'estaba viajando' mean the same thing?
3
votes
Which one is most used in Spain?
1226 views
updated Dec 30, 2012
posted by DevinaS
Frando is right, it's grammar, not regional. - annierats, Dec 29, 2012
1 Answer
2
votes
Using viajaba or estaba viajando are not country related choices.
María viajaba en tren todas las mañanas (Mary used to travel by train every morning). Here, you cannot use María estaba viajando en coche, because the imperfect is used to narrate habitual facts (such as "used to or being accustomed to" in English)
María estaba viajando en coche cuando se accidentó en la carretera or
María viajaba en coche cuando se accidentó en la carretera both mean:
Mary was traveling by car when her car broke down on the road.
updated Dec 30, 2012
edited by francobollo
posted by francobollo
Cracking good answer, Franco. - annierats, Dec 29, 2012
So they have different uses? Imperfecto for habitual actions in the past and imperfecto of estar + gerund for an action that was happening but had been cut into? - DevinaS, Dec 29, 2012
Yes. It can be a bit more complicated than that, but yours is a good summary for this particular example. - francobollo, Dec 29, 2012
Thank you!! - DevinaS, Dec 29, 2012
