¿Andar o caminar?

[laepelba]

I know that both words mean "to walk", and I know that in both English and Spanish there are lots of situations where two words can mean the same thing. But what is the sense in which one would say "andar" vs. "caminar".

For example, I like to take long walks. Would I say that "voy a andar" or "voy a caminar"?

Or, if someone walks to work. Would you say "ando a trabajo" or "camino a trabajo"?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

I know that both words mean "to walk", and I know that in both English and Spanish there are lots of situations where two words can mean the same thing. But what is the sense in which one would say "andar" vs. "caminar".

For example, I like to take long walks. Would I say that "voy a andar" or "voy a caminar"?

Or, if someone walks to work. Would you say "ando a trabajo" or "camino a trabajo"?

Hola again!

If you walk to work: camino al trabajo (I walk to the job)

If you are working: ando trabajando

Ando por el camino de la vida : I tread on the road of life.



Now, to bleed!

[laepelba]

Desangrar? Como?

What about taking a walk (for recreation)?

[cmon]

to take a walk/stroll
Dar un paseo

[lee ying]

I can give more examples about it!!
Ando buscando trabajo,
me gusta andar con esa muchacha.
Andaba buscando mi cartera pero ya lo encontré.
Andaba caminando por el parque y miré a mi novia.
ando caminando muy rapido por que es muy tarde.
ando mucho dinero.
*_*

[Jessica]

ir a pie is to go on foot, so I guess that's different. I learned that ir a paseo is to go on a walk. but that's different from the verb, walk.


so I guess caminar is the right way for "to walk"??

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by lee ying

I can give more examples about it!!
Ando buscando trabajo,
me gusta andar con esa muchacha.
Andaba buscando mi cartera pero ya lo encontré.
Andaba caminando por el parque y miré a mi novia.
ando caminando muy rapido por que es muy tarde.
ando mucho dinero.
*_*

Hey, Lee Ying (or someone else, Chileno?) - would you mind giving me translations of those phrases, just so I get the gist of them. Thanks!

[tacuba]

Laepelba, this might help you decipher the sentences.

From Gerald Erichsen at About.com

When followed by a gerund (a verb form ending in -ando or -endo), andar can mean something similar "to go about." It can even be less specific in terms of action than that, serving as kind of a substitute for estar, forming a kind of a continuous tense. Translation will depend largely on the context.

• Andaba hablando consigo mismo. (He went around talking to himself.)
• Ahora nadie anda comprando esas blusas. (Now nobody is buying those blouses.)
• Había una gran piara de cerdos, que andaban comiendo en la falda del monte. (There was a large herd of pigs that were going about eating on the mountainside.)
• Los astrónomos, que siempre andan estudiando el cielo, han llegado a pensar que muchas de las estrellas pueden tener planetas. (Astronomers, who are always studying the sky, have come to believe that many of the stars could have planets.)

In some cases, andar can mean simply "to be."

• ¿Andas por aquí? (Are you from around here?)
• Ahora se estima que la inversión andará por los $30 millones. (Now it is estimated that the investment must be about $30 million.)
• Silvia hoy anda por los 43 años. (Sylvia today is 43 years old.)
• Muchas veces anda mal de dinero. (He's often short on money.)
• Mi madre anda muy preocupada. (My mother is very worried.)

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Hey, Lee Ying (or someone else, Chileno?) - would you mind giving me translations of those phrases, just so I get the gist of them. Thanks!

That is what I referred as "to bleed".

Come on, think a little and you tell me what you think it is. I or someone else will correct you.


Ha! The gall...

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by laepelba

I know that both words mean "to walk", and I know that in both English and Spanish there are lots of situations where two words can mean the same thing. But what is the sense in which one would say "andar" vs. "caminar".

For example, I like to take long walks. Would I say that "voy a andar" or "voy a caminar"?

Or, if someone walks to work. Would you say "ando a trabajo" or "camino a trabajo"?

"Caminar" is more literal and "andar" can be more figurative in some cases. In other words, "caminar" almost always refers to the physical act of walking, while andar can refer to the physical act, as well as many other things.

I like to take long walks
Me gusta caminar
Me gusta dar paseos muy largos
Me gusta ir a caminar

I walk to work
Voy caminando al trabajo
Camino al trabajo

More figurative uses of andar:

Ando en Arlington = I'm in Arlington
Ando en el supermercado = I'm at the store
Ando comprando un vestido = I'm out buying a dress
Ayer hacía mucho calor-- andaba en los 90s. = It was really hot yesterday-- about 90.