Thanks everyone! Can I try another one on you? This time I need your opinions this Spanish sentence: "si estuviera lloviendo habria(hubiera) tomado un taxi". How does this sound to you? I am assuming that construction is possible with estar.

try

http://www.freetranslation.com

Cartman

The correct one is "Si estuviera lloviendo hubiera tomado un taxi", not with "habría" (conditional, but not correct in this sentence).

But anyone would have understood you, a lot of people make that mistake. As of the verb "estar", it is correct to use it in that sentence.

Fernando

Fernando,

I am a bit confused.

If it had been raining , I would have taken a taxi.

My understanding has been that the proper translations would be.

Si hubiese/hubiera estado lloviendo, habría/hubiese/hubiera cogido un taxi.

Likewise,

If it is raining, I'll take a taxi. (unlikely that it will be raining)

Would be translated as follows.

Si estuviese/estuviera lloviendo, cogería un taxi.

any ideas?

Salu2

I don't agree with Fernando, but this is one of those questions you need to resolve with a grammar book in front, maybe later, when the teachers come to the board they can solve better.
I agree with Shawn.
Si estuviera lloviendo (this means a present supposition,now), cogería/tomaría un taxi (this is conditional that means what I'ld do now if the previous supposition is true)
habría tomado is past and for example, it's not raining so you decide to go to the metro, and just after doing this decission or later you could tell Si hubiese estado lloviendo(perfect past), habría tomado un taxi (perfect conditional).

About 'tomar un taxi' in Spain we say 'coger un taxi' although this is a very ugly word in America.

The context of the sentence would be:
"I see you've come by bike" - "Yes, but if it were raining, I would have taken a taxi".....God, the Spanish language can be difficult sometimes.

Then
Sí, pero si hubiese estado lloviendo, habría tomado un taxi

Miguelito, I wanted to say that "if it were raining(now),I would have taken a taxi" so perhaps "si estuviera lloviendo ahora, hubiera cogido un taxi" is an appropirate translation. Thanks.

Is that appropriate in English? Wouldn't it be "if it were raining, I'ld take a taxi" ?

Mmmm, I'm not sure anymore.

I remember that this was one of those examples of missuse of a tense. I think the correct one is with the "pretérito pluscuamperfecto del subjuntivo" (hubiera cogido) but I'm not sure.

I've sent a query to the Real Academia de la Lengua to solve this matter. Who better than them
I'll post again when I received their answer.

Fernando