Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Mientras camino al trabajo, voy grabando notas de voz en español. - While I walk to work, I keep recording voice notes in Spanish.

Mientras = while (two actions happening at the same time).
- Mientras camino al trabajo, voy grabando… = While I walk to work, I’m recording…
Mientras que in Latin America is possible but less common here; it can sound a bit more formal or contrastive, like whereas:
- Mientras que tú manejas, yo voy leyendo. = Whereas you drive, I read.
Cuando = when / whenever and focuses more on the moment something happens, not the whole duration:
- Cuando camino al trabajo, grabo notas de voz.
  = When(ever) I walk to work, I (tend to) record voice notes.
  (More habitual, less “during the whole walk” feeling.)

So mientras camino is natural because it emphasizes that the recording is happening throughout the time you’re walking.

Why is it camino and not estoy caminando?

Spanish often uses the simple present for actions in progress, especially in background clauses with mientras.

Mientras camino al trabajo…
Literally: While I walk to work…
But in context, it means while I’m walking to work.

Estoy caminando is not wrong:

Mientras estoy caminando al trabajo, voy grabando…

…but it’s a bit heavier and less idiomatic here. Native speakers usually prefer:

Mientras camino, mientras trabajo, mientras ceno, etc.

So camino already gives the idea of “I am walking” in this kind of sentence.

What exactly does voy grabando mean? How is it different from estoy grabando or just grabo?

Voy grabando is a form of the progressive aspect with a verb of motion. It often suggests:

a process that develops gradually or
an action that happens as you go along.

Nuance:

Voy grabando notas de voz.
= I keep recording / I go on recording voice notes (little by little as I walk).

Compare:

Estoy grabando notas de voz.
= I am (currently) recording voice notes.
Focus: the action is in progress right now.
Grabo notas de voz.
= I (usually / regularly) record voice notes.
Focus: a habit or general fact, not the ongoing process right now.

The original voy grabando fits nicely with mientras camino because it highlights the idea of an ongoing, repeated action during the walk.

Could I just say mientras camino al trabajo, grabo notas de voz without voy or -ando?

Yes, that’s correct and natural:

Mientras camino al trabajo, grabo notas de voz en español.

This version:

sounds a bit more neutral and
can emphasize the action as a habit more than as a step‑by‑step process.

Subtle differences:

Mientras camino al trabajo, grabo notas de voz.
= While I walk to work, I record voice notes. (Describes what you typically do.)
Mientras camino al trabajo, voy grabando notas de voz.
= As I walk to work, I go about recording voice notes / I keep recording notes along the way. (Feels more “in motion” and process-oriented.)

Why is it al trabajo and not a el trabajo or para el trabajo?

A + el always contracts to al:
- a el trabajo → al trabajo
- a el parque → al parque

So al trabajo literally = to the work / to work (as a place).

Para el trabajo usually means for work (for your job), not “to go to the workplace”:

Compro ropa para el trabajo.
= I buy clothes for work.

In this sentence you’re describing movement towards a place (your workplace), so Spanish uses a:

camino al trabajo = I walk to work (to the workplace).

Why not say al mi trabajo if I mean “to my job / my work”?

In Spanish, you don’t put a definite article before a possessive in this kind of phrase:

❌ al mi trabajo
✅ a mi trabajo

But in practice, caminar al trabajo already implies “to my job/workplace” in a general sense. Most people say:

Camino al trabajo. (natural, default)
You can say camino a mi trabajo, but it’s less common unless you’re stressing “my” (as opposed to someone else’s).

Why is it en español and not en el español?

Names of languages in Spanish are usually used without an article after en:

en español, en inglés, en francés, etc.

Use of the article el is possible, but in different patterns:

After a verb like hablar, with an adverb or adjective:
- Habla bien el español. = He speaks Spanish well.
When modified:
- el español de México, el español formal, etc.

In this sentence, you’re just stating the language you use, so en español is the standard form.

What does notas de voz mean exactly? Is it different from mensajes de voz?

Both are common, and their use can overlap:

notas de voz
- Literally voice notes.
- Often suggests short, informal audio notes you record for yourself or others.
mensajes de voz
- Literally voice messages.
- Emphasizes that they are messages sent to someone (e.g., on WhatsApp).

In many contexts, people use either one. In your sentence you could say:

…voy grabando notas de voz en español.
…voy grabando mensajes de voz en español.

The first fits especially well if you’re recording them as personal practice notes.

Why is it notas de voz (with de) and not something like notas vocales or voz notas?

Spanish usually forms “X of Y” structures with de, not by sticking two nouns together like English voice notes.

Patterns:

notas de voz = notes of voice = voice notes
mensajes de texto = text messages
clases de español = Spanish classes

You could say notas vocales, but that sounds more technical or unusual; it’s not what people commonly say for “voice notes” in everyday speech.

Voz notas is not correct; noun order doesn’t work like English compound nouns. So notas de voz is the natural form.

Why is it notas de voz (singular voz) even though notas is plural?

In Spanish de + noun stays in singular when it describes the type, not the count:

botellas de agua = bottles of water
clases de matemáticas = math classes
notas de voz = voice notes

You’re not talking about multiple voices; you’re specifying what kind of notes they are. So voz stays singular.

Why is there a comma before voy grabando?

The comma separates two clauses:

Mientras camino al trabajo,
voy grabando notas de voz en español.

In Spanish, you normally put a comma after a subordinate clause that comes first (like a mientras clause):

Mientras estudio, escucho música.
Cuando llego a casa, ceno.

So the comma is standard punctuation, not optional decoration.

Should grabar be reflexive here, like me grabo?

No, not in this sentence. Here:

grabar = to record (something), and the object is notas de voz.

You would use grabar(se) (reflexive) when the subject records themselves as the object:

Me grabo hablando en español.
= I record myself speaking Spanish.

In the original sentence, the focus is on the voice notes, not directly on recording yourself, so the non‑reflexive grabar with an object is correct:

voy grabando notas de voz en español.