How best to render a tricky Spanish word or expression in English or one from some language in Spanish.
2
votes
2answers
140 views
Greetings for presents and cards
What phrases and greetings can you use for christmas presents / cards? Are there "general purpose" phrases which can be used for presents which are used the whole year, like an iPod?
For example:
...
7
votes
2answers
2k views
“xq” in Internet slang/abbreviations
In informal chat conversations online, I have seen Spanish speakers write the abbreviation "xq." What does this stand for, and why?
10
votes
3answers
871 views
Translating “be right back” (or “brb”)
In informal spoken English, if we need to interrupt a conversation or meeting to take care of something else and then return, we might use expressions such as:
I'll be right back.
I'll be ...
4
votes
3answers
233 views
Translating “I'm bad with [remembering] something”
In English, you can say:
I'm horrible with names.
I'm bad with faces.
I'm really bad with directions.
What is the most natural way in Spanish of expressing that you are bad at remembering ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
Responding to an apology (no problem, don't worry about it, etc.)
What are the common ways of responding to an apology? In English, if someone says "Sorry I didn't/couldn't do (whatever)" (or simply bumps into you accidentally and says "sorry") we'd say things like:
...
4
votes
5answers
196 views
“Fall in love with” (non-romantic)
English:
In English, you can use the phrase "to fall in love with" with people who you aren't literally in love with. For example, when talking about children, you might say:
You just fall in ...
7
votes
3answers
153 views
Translating “actually” (as in a change of mind)
There are many times I run into conversations like this:
Waitress: Would you like some water?
Me: No thanks.
She walks away for a second, then comes back
Me: Actually, could I get a ...
7
votes
4answers
175 views
Translating “I hear (that)…”
How do you translate the phrase "I hear (that)..." as in:
I hear that you just got back from your vacation.
I hear that it rained all last week in Seattle.
I hear you got an A on your history final.
...
6
votes
2answers
677 views
How can I say “colmo” properly in English?
There is an expression in Spanish to denote something that is absurd or unexpected. Usually it can be the maximum expression of expertise and talent.
I wondered about this mainly because in Spanish ...
6
votes
2answers
100 views
Analog to “sustainability”
I asked a question on english synonyms of "sustainability" alrady on ELU. In Spanish, dictionaries and ngrams give out several options:
Comparing with the english ngrams chart I conclude la ...
7
votes
3answers
136 views
Translation of “contact info”
What is the best way to say contact info in Spanish (as in a list of phone numbers, email addresses, postal addresses, etc. of a person or business)?
8
votes
3answers
623 views
Translating “looking forward to”
In English, we often used the phrase looking forward to when we are excited about something in the future:
I'm looking forward to seeing you next week!
I'm really looking forward to finals ...
3
votes
3answers
185 views
Various translations of “ticket”
The English word ticket (that is, a slip of paper used to grant access to something) can be translated several different ways in Spanish:
boleto
pasaje
billete
ticket
entrada
resguardo
What are ...
4
votes
5answers
206 views
Can “los cristales” be translated as “mirrors” or “looking glasses”?
I'm trying to translate another poem by Jorge Luis Borges into English:
Mis Libros
Mis libros (que no saben que yo existo)
son tan parte de mí como este rostro
de sienes grises y de grises ...
3
votes
1answer
174 views
What does “tracatera” mean?
I've been collecting unusual Spanish words for years. I've been going through them to find any that are not in my dictionaries and found this one:
tracatera f
It's not in the DRAE, it's not in ...
6
votes
3answers
259 views
What Spanish term (or terms) work best to describe a glass jar as used for coffee, jam, etc?
A bit earlier in the chat room I mentioned that I needed to buy a new jar of coffee, but that I didn't know how to express that in Spanish.
I want to know a good Spanish word for "jar" in the sense ...
9
votes
7answers
655 views
What is the most idiomatic translation of “no way!”
The phrase "no way" is similar to this question about the expression "you wish!" but is perhaps more of an expression of disbelief or rejection of what the other speaker says. It also can be friendly ...
8
votes
2answers
216 views
Best translation of “just wanted to”
In English, I often use "just wanted to" to soften the force of a question or statement:
I just wanted to ask if it was okay with you.
I just wanted to make sure you were coming to the meeting ...
7
votes
1answer
210 views
“Ser” and “Estar”: Spanish vs. Portuguese
The English verb to be typically translates to either ser or estar in both Spanish and Portuguese.
Is there any instance in which the ser /estar distinction is different between Spanish and ...
4
votes
2answers
375 views
How to translate “It's for the best”?
How does the phrase "to be for the best" translate into Spanish? My first thought was "es para lo mejor", but as this is fairly idiomatic in English I figured the translation might not be that ...
6
votes
2answers
169 views
Is there a standard, most common, or most neutral Spanish term for “chat room”?
Just earlier I was about to mention to somebody in Spanish that I was in a Stack Exchange chat room and I realized I didn't know how to say it in Spanish.
There's a bunch of words for "room":
...
2
votes
2answers
71 views
Rendering of “to fear”?
I once wrote an original poem in Spanish that includes the following:
The question relates to the second sentence, which of two translations regarding "scare me" is "better" or correct? Or can they ...
5
votes
1answer
49 views
What does “barrocanrolera” mean?
In the novel Los años con Laura Diaz by top Mexican author Carlos Fuentes there is a word, "barrocanrolera", which is not in the DRAE, the Gran diccionario Larousse, Wiktionary, or Google Translate.
...
8
votes
2answers
439 views
How to translate “make it count”
This evening a friend saw a poster in English that said something like:
If you have only one chance at opportunity, make it count.
She asked me what it meant. She knew enough English to make out ...
8
votes
2answers
123 views
How can I tell someone what I'm reading about?
I was reading a book, and someone asked me, "¿Qué estás leyendo?"
I answered, "Estoy leyendo sobre ..."
The person looked at me funny, but seemed to understand what I said.
Looking back, it makes ...
5
votes
2answers
251 views
How should we translate “everything but the kitchen sink” or “the whole enchilada”?
There is an idiom that is popular (and old) in English that states "everything but the kitchen sink". This is a phrase that means "everything that could be conceived".
Som examples:
"I realized ...
3
votes
1answer
361 views
How to Translate “Sabor A Mi” into English
"Sabor a Mi" is the title of a song in Spanish.
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/l/los_panchos/sabor_a_mi.html
Usually, sabor is a noun. But in this context, it seems to be used more like a verb. ...
-4
votes
1answer
432 views
In general, how well does Google Translate work? [closed]
I've had troubles with translations programs in the past. It seems that most take a word-for-word approach to translation. Obviously this falls short in most circumstances.
It seems that Google's ...
7
votes
4answers
109 views
How to translate “open source” and “free software” and keep the distinction?
In English, when describing software you say "open source" to refer to software that's source code has been made available under a license.
"Free software" refers to 'truly free' software that can be ...
9
votes
4answers
594 views
How to translate the idiomatic expressions “I wish!” and “You wish!”
What's the best way to say "I wish!" as in...
A: I hear you're a good dancer.
B: Ha! I wish!
Or...
A: Will you help me move this piano?
B: Ha! You wish!
What is the best way to ...
1
vote
4answers
1k views
“It was great to see you”
What is the most natural translation of the English phrase "It was great to see you" (as in what you would say after seeing a friend you hadn't seen for a long time)?
8
votes
2answers
494 views
How to translate 'to become?' (hacerse, ponerse, convertirse en, etc.)
I've heard several different words used for 'to become' in Spanish. Obviously sometimes there are specific verbs to use, like 'enfadarse' means to become angry, but often you need to use a verb that ...
12
votes
4answers
174 views
What's the correct way to say printed?
What's the preferred past participle of imprimir, imprimido or impreso?
For example:
Tengo imprimido el email que me enviaste.
Tengo impreso el email que me enviaste.
4
votes
5answers
269 views
Translation of “should have”
What are the possible translations of "should have", as in "I should have told you earlier"? What are the differences between "debería (de)", "debí (de)", "debiera (de)", "debía (de)", etc.?
3
votes
3answers
1k views
“Dale pues” in Nicaraguan Spanish
In Nicaragua, the phrase "dale pues" is very frequently used. What does the phrase mean, and in what contexts can it be used?
8
votes
7answers
1k views
How should I translate “he is a pain in the ass”?
When referring to someone you don't like Americans (or English speakers) often use the sentence "he is a pain the ass", the literal translation to the Spanish is
es un dolor en el trasero
...
1
vote
3answers
342 views
Translating “to be excited to…”
What is the best way to translate sentences like:
I'm so excited to see you next week!
He's really excited about graduation.
We're excited to have you come visit for Christmas.
Do emocionado and ...
6
votes
4answers
118 views
Is there a translation for “He thumbed his nose at them”?
In English if you "thumb your nose at someone" you are ignoring their authority..
Is there an expression in Spanish that conveys that same sort of disrespect?
Edit: adding example.
Many ...
9
votes
2answers
120 views
Unclear why to use “A vuestros hijos” instead of “vuestros hijos”
I have the following sentence in English
Do your children like to read?
Which translates to Spanish:
¿ A vuestros hijos les gusta leer?
To me it is unclear, why I have to use "A vuestros" ...
2
votes
2answers
192 views
Best translation of “accountability”
In conversations about the hardest words or phrases to translate well from Spanish to English, the word "accountability" has repeatedly come up. I have seen the phrase "financial accountability" ...
15
votes
8answers
2k views
How to translate “I can't wait…”
A literal translation always falls flat, and confuses people (I've learned this the hard way).
I can't wait [to see the movie] => No puedo esperar [a ver la pelicula]
This always leaves the ...
2
votes
3answers
174 views
How can I translate “un ámbito cerrado” into English?
Here's a poem by Borges that I tried to translate into English:
A Un Gato
No son más silenciosos los espejos
ni más furtiva el alba aventurera;
eres, bajo la luna, esa pantera
que nos es ...
2
votes
3answers
259 views
Proper translation of a Cole Porter song title?
I've seen the Cole Porter song title, "Begin the Beguine," translated into Spanish as "Volver a Empezar." http://lyrics.wikia.com/Julio_Iglesias:Volver_A_Empezar
"Beguine," in English is a dance. ...
12
votes
5answers
421 views
How to translate the idiom: “missing the point”?
What would be the correct way to translate into Spanish the idiom: "to miss the point"?
I'm often tempted to write "perder el punto", but it doesn't sound quite right.
For example: "To bring ...
17
votes
8answers
510 views
How should I translate “table” (as in a data table)?
What should be the correct word in Spanish to translate "table" (as in an arrangement of text or data in rows and columns)?
Somewhere I've read that "cuadro" should be preferred to "tabla", but which ...
