Imperfect

[cmon]

The students sat at their desks while they stared at the clock.
Los estudientes se sentaron a sus escritorios mientras miraban al reloj.

We looked at the people who passed thru the street while we sat and ate our lunch.

Miramos a la gente que estaba pasando por la calle mientras nos sentábamos comiendo almorzar.

Miramos a la gente quien pasó por la calle mientras nos sentábamos y comíamos almorzar.

I walked toward a field where children were playing ball.
Caminaba hacia un campo donde niños jugaban a la pelota.

My house faced a park where bands would sing and play musical instruments.
Mi casa daba un parque donde grupos cantaban y tocaban instrumentos musicales.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by cmon

The students sat at their desks while they stared at the clock.
Los estudiantes se sentaron en sus escritorios mientras miraban al reloj.

We looked at the people who passed thru the street while we sat and ate our lunch.
Miramos a la gente que pasaba por la calle mientras nos sentábamos al almorzar.
Miramos a la gente que pasaba por la calle mientras nos sentábamos y comíamos el almuerzo.

I walked toward a field where children were playing ball.
Caminé hacia un campo donde (los) niños jugaban a la pelota.

My house faced a park where bands would sing and play musical instruments.
Mi casa daba a un parque donde grupos cantaban y tocaban instrumentos musicales.

Suggestions above.

[Tomisimo]

The students sat at their desks while they stared at the clock.
Los estudiantes estaban sentados a sus escritorios mientras miraban el reloj.

We looked at the people who passed thru the street while we sat and ate our lunch.
Mirábamos a la gente que pasaba por la calle mientras estábamos sentados comiendo.

I walked toward a field where children were playing ball.
Caminaba hacia un campo donde niños jugaban a la pelota.

My house faced a park where bands would sing and play musical instruments.
Mi casa daba a un parque donde grupos cantaban y tocaban instrumentos musicales.

[CrOtALiTo]

The David's answers are accurate.

David I must recognize your great endeavor translating the post or text of Cmon, and I know, you perhaps have worked very hard at learn Spanish times last.

Congratulation.

[tacuba]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

I walked toward a field where children were playing ball.
Caminaba hacia un campo donde niños jugaban a la pelota.

Hi David:

Could you expand on this one a little? My tendency here would be to use "caminé" in this sentence, as Rusty pointed out. The sentence to me implies a one-shot deal, not a habitual action. "I walked toward a field" sound to me like the speaker is referring to that one time only, on a certain day. "Caminaba" to me sound like "I used to walk toward a field", or "(When I was young) I would walk toward a field..."

Am I confused?

[Jessica]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

The David's answers are accurate.

David I must recognize your great endeavor translating the post or text of Cmon, and I know, you perhaps have worked very hard at learning Spanish times last .

Congratulations.

Corrections above...

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by tacuba

Hi David:

Could you expand on this one a little? My tendency here would be to use "caminé" in this sentence, as Rusty pointed out. The sentence to me implies a one-shot deal, not a habitual action. "I walked toward a field" sound to me like the speaker is referring to that one time only, on a certain day. "Caminaba" to me sound like "I used to walk toward a field", or "(When I was young) I would walk toward a field..."

Am I confused?

As Rusty pointed out, caminé is a perfectly valid option. It really depends on what you want to say.

Caminé hacia el campo donde los niños jugaban.
Your main point is that you walked toward the field, and the kids playing in the field is only mentioned as a reference.

Caminaba hacia el campo donde los niños jugaban.
This gives a more equal weight to the two events (your walking and the kids playing). This setup would also be correct if your main point is something else entirely, for example: "Caminaba hacia el campo donde los niños jugaban, y de repente un avión se aterrizó junto a los niños."

Originally Posted by tacuba

My tendency here would be to use "caminé" in this sentence, as Rusty pointed out. The sentence to me implies a one-shot deal, not a habitual action. "I walked toward a field" sound to me like the speaker is referring to that one time only, on a certain day.

That's right. You can also think of it like this:

Caminé = I walked (finished action)
Caminaba = I was walking (might be a finished action or not)

I hope that helps.

[tacuba]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

As Rusty pointed out, caminé is a perfectly valid option. It really depends on what you want to say.

Caminé hacia el campo donde los niños jugaban.
Your main point is that you walked toward the field, and the kids playing in the field is only mentioned as a reference.

Caminaba hacia el campo donde los niños jugaban.
This gives a more equal weight to the two events (your walking and the kids playing). This setup would also be correct if your main point is something else entirely, for example: "Caminaba hacia el campo donde los niños jugaban, y de repente un avión se aterrizó junto a los niños."


That's right. You can also think of it like this:

Caminé = I walked (finished action)
Caminaba = I was walking (might be a finished action or not)

I hope that helps.

Thank you very much. Very helpful.

[Tomisimo]

You're very welcome.

[CrOtALiTo]

I want to do a bit correction in this post made before for David, David, you have made much endeavor in your previous post, I see, you can write and I don't know if you can speak Spanish, well, I write this because, I want to give you the congratulations, because you have archived a high level in your writing and reading at Spanish, but this time, you made it up, but don't worry this mistakes made for you is very minimal, then now I will correct you.




Originally Posted by Tomisimo
As Rusty pointed out, caminé is a perfectly valid option. It really depends on what you want to say.

Caminé hacia el campo a donde los niños jugaban.
Your main point is that you walked toward the field, and the kids playing in the field is only mentioned as a reference.

Caminaba hacia a el campo donde los niños jugaban.
This gives a more equal weight to the two events (your walking and the kids playing). This setup would also be correct if your main point is something else entirely, for example: "Caminaba hacia a el campo donde los niños jugaban, y de pronto un avión se aterrizó junto a los niños."


That's right. You can also think of it like this:

Caminé = I walked (finished action)
Caminaba = I was walking (might be a finished action or not)

I hope that helps.


Note: I supposed the word De pronto instead of De repente, because I think that this word, I changed sound better, only it was my own hint above that.