se iba

was leaving

→ se
phrase Uncommon #17,169
was leaving Imperfect form of irse, used for an ongoing or habitual departure in the past. Depending on context, it can also mean “was going,” especially before a destination or with a.
SP: Cuando llegué, ella se iba de la fiesta.
EN: When I arrived, she was leaving the party.

El abuelo ya se iba.

Grandpa was already leaving.

— Valor sentimental (2025)

Daniel Maleski dice que se iba cuando sus padres se peleaban.

Daniel Maleski says he would leave when his parents fought.

— Anatomía de una caída (2023)

El segundo de mi abogado diciéndome que se iba con mi esposa.

My lawyer's second in command told me he was leaving with my wife.

— El quinto elemento (1997)

Todo lo que amaba en mi vida se iba.

Everything I loved in my life was leaving.

Tu hermana llamó diciendo que se iba a Tucson de compras.

Your sister called saying she was going to Tucson to shop.

— Psicosis (1960)

Se iba para el colegio.

He was going to school.

— Sin amor (2017)

Mientras se iba, su silueta desaparecía gradualmente bajo la nieve.

As she left, her silhouette gradually disappeared under the snow.

Cuando era un niño, se iba a pescar los domingos.

When he was a child, he used to go fishing on Sundays.

Acabo de estar en el aeropuerto para despedir a un amigo que se iba a Europa.

I was just at the airport to see off a friend who was leaving for Europe.

Se iba a otra dimensión.

He was going to another dimension.

— La vida de Adèle (2013)

Nadie vio cómo se iba la feria.

Nobody saw the fair go away.

— El cielo sobre Berlín (1987)

Dijo que se iba a California.

He said he was going to California.

— Chungking Express (1994)

Debió avisar que se iba.

He/She should have let us know they were leaving.

— A Taxi Driver: Los héroes de Gwangju (2017)

El primero era de mi esposa diciéndome que se iba.

The first one was from my wife telling me she was leaving.

— El quinto elemento (1997)

Se iba a Las Vegas.

He was going to Las Vegas.

— Mystic River (2003)

Cuando se iba, le pedí que me llevara a casa.

As he was leaving, I asked him to take me home.

— Fallen angels (Ángeles caídos) (1995)

Ella le dijo que se iba.

She told him she was leaving.

Bebía y se iba a su casa.

He would drink and go home.

— Los lunes al sol (2002)

Él dijo que se iba a casa al día siguiente.

He said he was going home the next day.

Y luego se iba a su casa.

And then he would go home.

— Los lunes al sol (2002)