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Lo lamento, ayer iba a viajar, pero choqué el carro.

Lo lamento, ayer iba a viajar, pero choqué el carro.
I am sorry, I was going to travel yesterday, but I crashed the car.
From Lesson 150:Unfulfilled intentions (iba a...)·Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about Lo lamento, ayer iba a viajar, pero choqué el carro.

Why do we use the imperfect tense iba here instead of the preterite fui?
We use the imperfect iba (I was going) + a + the infinitive viajar to talk about a plan or intention in the past that was interrupted or didn't happen. If you used the completed past tense and said fui a viajar, it would mean you actually went and took the trip.
Why is the past tense of chocar spelled choqué here instead of chocé?
In the completed past tense (preterite), verbs ending in -car change the c to qu in the yo (I) form. This spelling change happens to keep the hard 'k' sound of the original verb. If you wrote chocé, it would be pronounced with an 's' sound!
What is the difference between lo lamento and lo siento?
They both mean 'I am sorry' and can be used interchangeably. Lo lamento comes from the verb lamentar (to regret), so it literally translates to 'I regret it'. It can sometimes sound just a little bit more formal or serious than lo siento.
Is el carro the standard word for car in Latin America?
El carro is the most common word for car in many parts of Latin America, like Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela. Depending on the specific country, you might also hear el auto (very popular in South America) or el coche. They are all correct and widely understood.

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