Log inSign up

Creo que el sospechoso estaría fisgoneando para averiguar su paradero.

Creo que el sospechoso estaría fisgoneando para averiguar su paradero.
I think the suspect was probably snooping to find out his whereabouts.
From Lesson 483:Speculating about the past (Conditional Continuous)·Spanish (Spain)

Questions & Answers about Creo que el sospechoso estaría fisgoneando para averiguar su paradero.

Why use the conditional continuous (estaría fisgoneando) instead of the imperfect continuous (estaba fisgoneando)?
In Spanish, the conditional tense is often used to express a guess or probability about the past. By using the conditional continuous (estaría fisgoneando) instead of the factual imperfect continuous (estaba fisgoneando), the speaker adds a layer of doubt. It changes the meaning from the factual was snooping to the estimated was probably snooping or must have been snooping.
Doesn't creo que usually require a standard present or past indicative tense instead of the conditional?
The conditional is actually considered part of the indicative mood in Spanish, so it pairs perfectly with creo que. While you might be used to seeing creo que followed by the present or preterite, using the conditional here simply allows the speaker to say I think that [this probable past event happened]. It keeps the statement grounded in the speaker's belief.
What is the root of fisgoneando and is it a common word in Spain?
It comes from the verb fisgonear, which means to snoop, pry, or poke your nose into other people's business. It is a very common and natural word in Spain. You will also frequently hear the noun form, un fisgón or una fisgona, which means a nosy person.
I know averiguar means to find out, but could I just use descubrir here?
You could, but averiguar is a much better fit for this context. Averiguar implies an active investigation or making inquiries to figure something out, which matches the idea of a suspect snooping around. Descubrir is closer to discover and can happen entirely by accident.
The word paradero translates to whereabouts. Is it only used in formal or police contexts?
While it is extremely common in news, police, or detective contexts, you will also hear it in everyday speech when someone's location is completely unknown or a mystery. If you wanted a simpler, more conversational alternative for this sentence, you could say para averiguar dónde estaba.

Learn Creo que el sospechoso estaría fisgoneando para averiguar su paradero and more in Spanish

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Spanish →