How best to render a tricky Spanish word or expression in English or one from some language in Spanish.
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3answers
78 views
Ordinary, regular, run-of-the-mill, average, etc
In English, there are a lot of ways to express that someone or something is standard and not particularly special or extraordinary. For example:
Ordinary people like you and me can sometimes ...
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1answer
473 views
How should “have been” be translated?
I often use the phrase "have been" (or "has been") in English in sentences like:
It has been raining a lot recently.
I have been thinking about the exam all week.
It's been a long time since I've ...
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2answers
72 views
Translation of “en cierta medida”
What is the best translation of en cierta medida to English? It seems like there are several phrases in English that would work, but I'm not sure which best reflects the sense of the Spanish phrase.
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2answers
82 views
Insect bites vs. stings
In English, some insects bite you (like mosquitos), while other insects sting you (like bees). A bite generally involves an animal's mouth, while a sting involves another part of the animal (a bee's ...
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1answer
379 views
Translating “how is …?” and “how was …?”
What are the options for translating the phrase "how is" or "how was," as in:
How's the steak?
How is your day so far?
How is the traffic today?
and
How was your vacation?
How was the meeting?
...
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3answers
164 views
Break: romper vs. quebrar vs. quebrantar vs. partir
Off the top of my head, I can think of four Spanish translations for the English verb "to break":
romper
quebrar
quebrantar
partir
In what cases can each be used, and what are the differences ...
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1answer
73 views
Translation of “garden shears”
Garden shears (pruning shears) are specialized scissors used in gardening. Loppers are a bigger, two-handed version used to cut larger branches. Are there specific terms in Spanish to refer to these ...
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2answers
134 views
“although” vs. “even though” vs. “though”
In English, there are three conjunctions that are very similar:
although
even though
though
Is aunque the only possible translation of these to Spanish, or are there similar synonyms in Spanish as ...
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1answer
516 views
Translation of “What's wrong?”
What is the most natural translation of the English phrase, "What's wrong?" (i.e. what you would ask a person who appears sad or hurt or withdrawn)? ¿Qué te pasó? would be one option, but that seems ...
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1answer
22 views
Coming “down” or “up” (traveling from one place to another)
In English (at least US English), it is common to use "up" and "down" when giving directions. For example:
When are you coming down to visit us?
I went up to see him for the weekend.
The "up" and ...
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2answers
816 views
“Major” and “minor” (emphasis of study in college)
In many universities in the US, students choose a primary specialty to study (called their "major") and optionally a secondary emphasis (called a "minor"). How would these terms be expressed in ...
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3answers
349 views
How do you describe a slight right/left turn (bearing left or right)?
When giving directions in English, we typically say "turn" to mean a full 90 degree (more or less) turn, but a shallow turn can be a "slight left/right" and we might say something like "bear right at ...
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2answers
189 views
Words for mountain/hill [closed]
English describes landforms that rise above the surrounding land as "mountains" or "hills." What words in Spanish describe a mountain or a hill? What are the differences between them (i.e. what size ...
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1answer
3k views
Translating “kind words” (as in “Thank you for your kind words.”)
In English if someone complements you or expresses their gratitude for something you've done, you can respond with something like, "Thank you for your kind words."
What Spanish phrase would best ...
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1answer
457 views
Translation of “llevar a cabo”
What does the Spanish phrase llevar a cabo mean in English? What are the most common translations of the phrase into English?
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2answers
84 views
Translation of “to play favorites”
What is the best Spanish translation of the English idiom "to play favorites" (as in favoring individuals in a group instead of treating everyone equally)?
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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 ...
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4answers
99 views
Spanish words for cake, pie, pastry, etc
English has several specific words for different types of sweet, baked products:
cake
pie
pastry
tart
torte
cobbler
Does Spanish have the same level of detail for describing these sweets? What ...
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2answers
160 views
Translating “shrewd” (as in “a shrewd businessman”)
The English word "shrewd" (as in "a shrewd businessman") describes someone who is sharp, clever, crafty, or cunning. For example, a shrewd businessman might come up with a coupon offer that seems ...
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2answers
97 views
waste: desperdiciar vs. malgastar
I learned that "waste" in English can be translated as desperdiciar or malgastar in Spanish. What is the difference between these two words? Are there any cases where one is correct and the other is ...
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1answer
667 views
Translation of “take your time”
In English, when making a polite request, it's common to say "take your time" (to tell the other person there's no need to rush). What is the most natural translation of this into Spanish? Is this ...
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1answer
51 views
how to translate the software specific expression “how to” in Castellano?
There's something in software or websites that is called a "how-to" section, it is like a frequently asked questions (faq) section but with a content closer to be a tutorial of how to do something in ...
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1answer
62 views
holy: santo vs. sagrado
What is the difference between santo and sagrado in translating the English religious word "holy." How are the two words used in religious contexts in Spanish-speaking countries?
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2answers
1k views
What does “chepa” mean in Nicaraguan Spanish?
What does the word chepa mean when used to refer to a person in Nicaraguan Spanish? What are some examples of how it is used?
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3answers
92 views
Translation of “desafuero” to English
WordReference says that the Spanish word desafuero can be used to refer to the "withdrawal of parliamentary/ministerial privileges." I recently saw this word used in this sense in a newspaper article. ...
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1answer
112 views
caja vs. cajón vs. estuche
"Box" in English can be translated into Spanish as caja, cajón, or estuche. What exactly is the difference between these three words? What types of boxes are translated as each? Which would best ...
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2answers
103 views
Words for “grave”: tumba vs. sepultura
English has several words for burial places, many of which have specific, distinct meanings:
grave
tomb
vault
crypt
mausoleum
sepulcher
As far as I know, Spanish has at least two words for ...
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1answer
117 views
Translation of “What was your name again?”
In English, if someone has already met someone else but later forgets their name, they might ask them something like, "I'm sorry, what was your name again?" (which is less forceful than a blunt "What ...
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1answer
860 views
Words for boat, ship, and other seafaring vessels
In English, we have many words to describe the different types of vessels that travel on water:
boat
ship
yacht
dinghy
canoe
kayak
raft
watercraft
vessel
sailboat
barge
catamaran
lifeboat/liferaft
...
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2answers
117 views
What is the best way to refer to those of Spanish descent or language?
In English there are several ways to refer to people who speak Spanish or are from a Spanish-speaking country: Hispanic, Latin, Latino, Chicano, Spanish-speaking, etc.
What equivalent terms exist in ...
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2answers
139 views
Translation of “a simple vista”
What is the most idiomatic English translation of the Spanish phrase a simple vista? Does it mean "at first glance," or does another expression fit better?
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3answers
368 views
Interpretation of quotes or famous sayings [closed]
I know you can't translate everything directly, sometimes it doesn't make sense, specially when it comes from quotes.
What would be the best intepretation of the following quotes?:
What goes ...
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2answers
84 views
What are the lyrics at the end of Ojos De Brujo's Piedras Contra Tanques
There are some lyrics at the end of the live version of Ojos De Brujo's Piedras Contra Tanques on Spotify That I'm having trouble translating.
It is during the Salsa jam at the end. It's something ...
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1answer
835 views
Translation of “What have you been up to lately?”
In English, when meeting someone you haven't seen for a while, you might ask, "What have you been up to lately?"
What is the equivalent question in Spanish?
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1answer
428 views
Translating “for the rest of the day”
What is the best way to translate the phrase "for the rest of the day" into Spanish, as in the following examples:
I'm tired, I think I want to stay home for the rest of the day.
Do you think it ...
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1answer
137 views
Packing material vocabulary
In English, there are quite a few words to describe materials used to pad and insulate packages that are being shipped from one place to another:
packing peanuts or foam peanuts are individual ...
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2answers
146 views
¿Me pueden ayudar a deconstruir las siguientes oraciones? Can you help me deconstruct these sentences? [closed]
Un artículo publicado en The Four Hour Work Week blog by Tim Ferriss llamado How to Learn (But Not Master) any Language in 1 Hour sugiere que la deconstrucción de un idioma es una de las cosas más ...
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1answer
144 views
Translation of “to wind (a rope, hose, string, cord, etc.)”
The other questions about "wind" got me thinking about it's normal verb use. To "wind" something is to wrap it in circles, either around an object or simply making a coil. For this use, it looks like ...
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2answers
422 views
Translating “Me la paso pensándote”
In Wisin y Yandel's "Estoy Enamorado," the chorus contains the following line:
Me la paso pensándote, nunca voy a soltarte
What does "Me la paso pensándote" mean? Is "me" a reflexive or indirect ...
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1answer
24 views
List it or List this
Me gustaría saber cómo podría traducirse Lístalo. He pensando en List it y en List this pero no estoy seguro de cuál es la correcta (si acaso alguna lo es).
Gracias.
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1answer
138 views
Translation of “have (someone) do (something)”
What is the most common way in Spanish to express "have (someone) do (something)"? For example, a boss might say to his secretary:
Have the marketing manager come see me ASAP!
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0answers
29 views
Localization Help [closed]
I'm writing a program and need to know how dates, versions, time, and numbers are formatted in the Spanish Language
Example (in English)
Version 1.0.0 (Build 0)
How would that look in Spanish?
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0answers
27 views
Translation of “baking” [closed]
Is there a common Spanish word for the English "baking" (as in using the oven to make cookies, bread, cakes, etc.)? If not, what is the best way to describe the activity (when it's not known exactly ...
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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 ...
-5
votes
2answers
201 views
What is English translation of this short audio file in Spanish ? [closed]
Please help to translate this simple audio file.
audio file on soundcloud
