Soler o no soler?

Question

How do I know when to use the conjugated "soler" and when to just use the imperfect past form of the verb to indicate that I used to do something?

For example: Yo solía viajar... vs. Yo viajaba

Are they interchangeable or is there a rule of usage?

I added a tilde to solía to differentiate first to third person - pacofinkler, Apr 20, 2014

Answer 1

Tio:

The two phrases could be interchanged, there is a slight difference though.

" Yo viajaba" I travelled.

" Yo solía viajar" I used to travel

Answer 2

Here is my take which agrees somewhat with Paco.

The imperfect is used for things that were done repeatedly and can be translated as "used to ...."

Soler is used to emphasis something that was a habit or custom, something that was always done and can be translated the same as "used to....".

Answer 3

Thanks pacofinkler.

My confusion was from a Fluencia statement which was, When I was little, I use to travel....

I used the soler conjugation and it was considered incorrect.

De nada Tio - pacofinkler, Apr 20, 2014

It was definatly not incorrect Tio just slightly different. - pacofinkler, Apr 20, 2014

forgot how to spell too :-) - pacofinkler, Apr 20, 2014