Learn Spanish (Latin America): Iba a tomar fotos en la playa, pero la cámara se descargó porque olvidé el cargador. - I was going to take photos at the beach, but the camera died because I forgot the charger.

Iba a tomar fotos en la playa, pero la cámara se descargó porque olvidé el cargador.

I was going to take photos at the beach, but the camera died because I forgot the charger.

Breakdown of Iba a tomar fotos en la playa, pero la cámara se descargó porque olvidé el cargador.

Questions & Answers about Iba a tomar fotos en la playa, pero la cámara se descargó porque olvidé el cargador.

Why do we use the imperfect iba here instead of the preterite fui?

Iba a tomar means I was going to take. We use the imperfect tense of ir (iba) to talk about plans or intentions in the past that were interrupted or did not end up happening. If you used fui, it would mean you actually went and completed the action.

Why are descargó and olvidé in the preterite tense, while iba is in the imperfect?

This sentence is a great example of how Spanish mixes past tenses. Iba a tomar sets the background scene (your ongoing plan), so it uses the imperfect. Then, se descargó (it died) and olvidé (I forgot) are single, completed events that interrupted the plan, so they use the preterite.

Why is there a se in se descargó?

The verb descargar means to discharge or to download. By adding se (descargarse), it shows a change of state happening to the subject. It means the camera drained or died on its own, rather than someone actively draining it.

Can I use sacar fotos instead of tomar fotos?

Yes! Both tomar fotos and sacar fotos are very common and natural ways to say to take photos in Latin America. You will hear both used interchangeably.