Imperfect Tense for "used to go"

Question

Hello, I would like a little help please. In my head in order to differentiate between the imperfect past tense and the preterite past tense, I think "I used to...." to pick the imperfect. In some of the examples here in kwiziq the "used to" is translated into English, such as here "Vosotros trabajabais en Madrid durante los años 80" as "I used to work in Madrid during the 80's"

However I have also seen "Soler" used for "used to" especially with 'IR" for used to go,

"Solía ir ..."
Is my "used to" translation for the imperfect to literal, and is it better to use "Soler" with verbs for "used to go" or "used to do" etc.
Sorry about the italics, I cut and paste a character and I can't turn them off!

Accepted Answer

Hola Paul
Soler in the imperfect tense is used to put emphasis on the fact that someone "used to [do something]". If we use the verb directly in the imperfect without soler, we will be expressing the same, without so much emphasis.

Yo iba mucho a Tarragona cuando era pequeña.
Yo solía ir mucho a Tarragona cuando era pequeña.
Ella trabajaba en Ikea.
Ella solía trabajar en Ikea.

It can be used with any verb, not just with "ir".
Saludos
Inma