Think Spanish (September `13)

Hablando
de gramática
por el señor Conner
WWW.TOBREAK.COM
John Conner is the author of the popular language series Breaking the Spanish Barrier. Each month he will
tackle a grammatical topic of interest to our readers. Have ideas of topics you would like to see covered?
E-mail Señor Conner at [email protected]. You can also visit his website www.tobreak.com.
It’s now August. I have escaped with my family to a beautiful little island up in
Maine. As I sat looking out on the ocean, I started to think: What would be a good
topic to start off this academic year? This article, by the way, is the 99th I have written for Think Spanish magazine. I have files of great old topics, some of which I will
bring to new life in the coming year. But, as I looked at the waves, an idea hit me!
To start the new academic year:
A fundamental truth of studying a new language!
I know the following statement will not be earth-shaƩering to veterans of language study,
but it is good for all of us to be reminded of the following: One language o en does not
translate easily word-for-word into a different tongue!
How oŌen have you or someone you know put a word or phrase into some computer
translaƟon program only to find that the result is quite comically wrong? For example,
take this English sentence: “When you get to the fork, bear right!” One website gave
me the following Spanish translaƟon: “Cuando llegues al tenedor, oso a la derecha!” Of
course, the word “fork” was translated as an eaƟng utensil, and the verb “bear” became
the furry polar animal. The resultant sentence is truly quite hilarious.
In this month’s lesson, I am going to give two examples of when some verbal tenses do
NOT translate Ɵdily between Spanish and English.
I) The condiƟonal vs imperfect: Beware of the word “would”!
Take a look at these two sentences:
• When I was a kid, I would read adventure books in the aŌernoon.
Cuando era niño, leía libros de aventura por la tarde.
• I told my mom not to worry …. I would read the books aŌer eaƟng.
Le dije a mi madre que no se preocupara, que leería los libros después de comer.
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septiembre de 2013
Of course you noƟce in the first sentence, the phrase “I would read” means “I used to read.”
It is a habit! In the second sentence, however, “I would read” is the condiƟonal, used here
as the “future of the past.” The idea in the second sentence is that I would read the books
AFTER doing something else. The speaker is NOT talking about any habit.
So, how would you translate the following sentence?
“They would dance aŌer dinner.”
Hmmm! You need a liƩle context! It could either be “Bailaban después de la cena” (habit)
OR “Bailarían después de la cena” (perhaps if they had Ɵme!).
2) The progressive tense can’t be used to describe future acƟon in Spanish. Beware!
I oŌen have students who will use the progressive tense while translaƟng the following
sentence:
• I am traveling by train tomorrow to Barcelona.
Estoy viajando en tren mañana a Barcelona.
This sentence is NOT correct. Though it is a beauƟful word-for-word translaƟon, one simply
may NOT use the progressive in Spanish to talk about future acƟons.
Here is how the progressive is used:
• Estoy viajando en tren ahora.
I am traveling by train now.
• Estaba viajando en tren ayer cuando recibí una llamada.
I was traveling by train yesterday when I received a call.
As you can see, the progressive can be used to talk about an acƟon happening right now, or
to emphasize that some acƟon in the past was happening at the exact moment the speaker
is describing.
So, remember! Don’t rush into a quick translaƟon! Take a second to think what you want to
say. Beware of “would” and don’t assume you can use the progressive tense in the future in
Spanish. Above all, watch out for those bears near the fork!
PRUEBA DE REPASO
In the following sentences, use either the imperfect or the condiƟonal tense.
a) Cuando mi hermano tenía siete años, siempre _________ Cheerios para el desayuno. (comer)
b) Los chicos dijeron que mañana _________ a la playa. (ir)
c) Si tuvieras más Ɵempo, _________ conmigo esta noche. (bailar)
d) Nosotros normalmente _________ ocho horas cada noche durante las vacaciones de verano.
(dormir)
e) Los oficiales dijeron que _________ el ganador de la lotería esta noche. (anunciar)
Now translate these sentences. Use the progressive tense whenever it is possible!
1) My cousin is swimming in the town pool right now.
2) Last night Catalina was singing with her friends when I came into the kitchen.
3) Tomorrow we are finishing our homework before we go to the movies.
1) Mi primo/a está nadando en la piscina municipal ahora.
2) Anoche Catalina cantaba con sus amigos cuando entré a la cocina.
3) Mañana terminamos (vamos a terminar) nuestra tarea antes de ir al cine.
b) irían
e) anunciarían
c) bailarías
septiembre de 2013
REPUESTAS/ANSWERS:
a) comía
d) dormíamos
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