Iba a pagar la cuenta, pero olvidé mi billetera.
I was going to pay the bill, but I forgot my wallet.
Breakdown of Iba a pagar la cuenta, pero olvidé mi billetera.
pero
but
mi
my
ir
to go
a
to
pagar
to pay
la cuenta
the bill
la billetera
wallet
olvidar
to forget
Questions & Answers about Iba a pagar la cuenta, pero olvidé mi billetera.
Why do we use the imperfect iba here instead of the preterite fui?
Iba is the imperfect tense of ir (to go). We use the imperfect here because "I was going to pay" describes an ongoing plan or intention in the past that didn't necessarily happen. If you used the preterite fui, it would mean you actually went and completed the action, which isn't true here since you forgot your wallet!
How does the iba a + infinitive structure work?
You already know how to say "I am going to pay" in the present tense: voy a pagar. To talk about a plan in the past, you simply change voy to the imperfect tense iba. So, iba a pagar translates perfectly to "I was going to pay". This is the most natural way to talk about unfulfilled plans in Spanish.
Why is olvidé in the preterite tense while iba is in the imperfect?
I've learned the word cartera for wallet. Is billetera different?
In Latin America, billetera is a very common word for a wallet (it comes from billete, meaning a paper bill or banknote). Cartera is also widely used, but depending on the country, cartera often refers more specifically to a woman's purse or handbag. You will be understood using either, but billetera is a great word to know for "wallet"!
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