Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): Viajar en tren es más barato que volar, aunque la distancia sea larga. - Travelling by train is cheaper than flying, even though the distance is long.

In Spanish, infinitive verbs (like viajar, comer, dormir) can function as nouns to express actions in a general or abstract sense. Here Viajar stands for “traveling” as a concept, so it acts as the subject without needing an article.

Why do we say en tren without an article, and why use en instead of por?

When talking about general modes of transportation, Spanish normally uses en + means of transport with no article: viajar en coche, en avión, en tren. You’d only use an article (e.g. en el tren) if you refer to a specific vehicle. Por tren is less common for general travel; it can imply “by route” or “via rail.”

How does the comparative structure más barato que work?

Spanish comparatives of superiority use más + adjective + que. So más barato que literally means “more cheap than,” i.e. “cheaper than.” The adjective barato is in masculine singular because infinitives are treated grammatically like masculine singular nouns.

Why is the verb sea in the subjunctive mood after aunque?

Here aunque introduces a concession (“even if” or “although”), and when the clause expresses a hypothetical, potential or contrary-to-expectation idea, Spanish uses the subjunctive. Aunque la distancia sea larga means “even if the distance is long.”

Could we use the indicative es instead of the subjunctive sea?

Yes. If you want to state it as a simple fact (“though the distance is long”), you’d say aunque la distancia es larga. Using sea shifts the nuance to “no matter how long it might be.”

Why is the adjective larga and not largo?

Adjectives in Spanish must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Distancia is feminine singular, so the adjective becomes larga (fem. sing.), not largo.

Why is the adjective placed after the noun (la distancia larga) rather than before?

By default, descriptive adjectives follow the noun in Spanish. Putting an adjective before can add emphasis, poetry or a subjective tone, but the neutral, everyday order is noun + adjective.

Why don’t we use an article before the second infinitive volar?

Because volar is an infinitive verb functioning here as part of the comparison, not a noun. Infinitives never take articles. If you wanted a noun form, you’d use el vuelo.