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Questions & Answers about Viajar en tren es divertido.
Why do we use the infinitive viajar as the subject of the sentence?
In Spanish, an infinitive can act like a noun—the subject of a sentence. Here, Viajar en tren (traveling by train) is the topic. It’s the equivalent of saying “Swimming is fun” or “Traveling by train is fun.”
Why is it en tren and not por tren or con tren?
Spanish uses en with modes of transport: en tren, en coche, en avión. Using por would suggest movement through something (a tunnel, for example), and con implies accompaniment or using an object, but it’s not the standard way to say “by train.”
Why don’t we say en un tren or en el tren?
When you speak about the mode of transport in a general sense, you omit the article. Viajar en tren means “traveling by train” as a concept—no specific train. Adding un or el would make it about one particular ride or one train.
Why is the adjective divertido used with ser instead of estar, as in es divertido not está divertido?
Use ser + adjective for inherent, defining qualities or general truths. Estar + adjective describes temporary states or conditions. Since having fun is a general quality of train travel here, you use ser.
Is divertido related to the verb divertirse?
Yes. Divertir is a transitive verb (“to amuse”), its past participle divertido works as an adjective (“amused,” “fun”). Divertirse is the reflexive form meaning “to have fun.” Instead of saying Me divierto viajando en tren (“I have fun traveling by train”), a general statement uses es divertido.
Why is viajar en tren treated as singular, even though “trains” are plural?
Because viajar en tren refers to the activity or mode of transportation as a whole—an uncountable concept. That makes it grammatically singular.
Can I add a definite article, like El viajar en tren es divertido?
You can, but it sounds heavy and more formal. Spanish normally prefers the bare infinitive as the subject. El viajar en tren… is correct but less natural unless you’re contrasting or emphasizing the act itself.