Questions & Answers about Estamos a planear uma viagem ao Norte.
Why is the verb planear used here instead of planejar?
In European Portuguese, the verb for to plan is planear. You will often hear or see planejar online, but that is the Brazilian Portuguese spelling and pronunciation.
I sometimes see the word for trip spelled as viajem with a J. Why does it have a G here?
They are completely different words that sound exactly the same. The word viagem with a G is the noun meaning a trip, which is what we need in this sentence. The word viajem with a J is a verb form, specifically when saying that they travel in the subjunctive mood.
Could we say para o Norte instead of ao Norte?
You could, but it changes the feeling of the sentence. Using the preposition a combined with o to make ao implies a temporary stay, which makes perfect sense for a vacation or short trip. Using para usually implies a permanent or long-term move.
Does estamos a planear mean they are sitting down planning it right at this exact moment?
Not necessarily. Just like in English, the Portuguese present continuous form using estar a followed by an infinitive can describe an ongoing process in your life right now, even if you are not actively doing it at the very second you speak.
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