Is there any difference between "iba" and "estaba yendo"?
3
votes
Hola a todos
Just a quick question about "iba" and "estaba yendo" As far as I am aware they both mean 'I was going' (or he/she was going), but are there contexts where you use one over the other or are they interchangeable?
muchas gracias por ayudame.
3530 views
updated Mar 4, 2015
edited by soundescape
posted by soundescape
1 Answer
3
votes
From my experience, "estaba yendo" subtly focuses the action on the fact that you were going. "Iba" generally indicates that you want to talk about some upcoming action and the fact that you were going is merely background information.
I also rarely hear the past progressive (estaba -ndo) and usually hear the imperfect. My guess is because 9 times out of 10 when you say "I was going" you want to focus on some upcoming action.
updated Mar 4, 2015
posted by HackerKing
The past progressive is not used as much in Spanish as it is in English - the imperfect is used (which is "used to" in Engish) - English uses the -ing verb form much more than Spanish does. - ian-hill, Mar 3, 2015
Anyway, I really like this answer, it says what I would say, only more eloquently. :) - bosquederoble, Mar 4, 2015
gracias a ambos - Ian y Hackerkng. Esta mas claro ahora. - soundescape, Mar 4, 2015
