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Ok...so how does this look?

 

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Old June 11, 2010, 02:00 PM
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Ok...so how does this look?

Thanks to everyone for the most recent advice. I am now watching shows in Spanish, and reading/translating Spanish to English.

I am finding that translating S -> E is easier than E -> S. So, I am going to practice using books for children in English, and translating them to Spanish.

The first book is "Harold and the Purple Crayon". I have only attempted a few sentences to start with. Could you please look it over and let me know how I did? Thanks,
~Dustin

One evening, after thinking it over for some time, Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight.
Una noche, despús de pensarando por algún tiempo, Harold decidió ir por un paseo en la luz de la luna.

There wasn't any moon, and Harold needed a moon for a walk in the moonlight.
No había luna, y Harold necesario una luna por un paseo en la luz de la luna.

And he needed something to walk on.
Y él necesario la cosa caminar sobre.

He made a long straight path so he wouldn't get lost.
Hizo un camino larga y recta, para él no se perdiera.
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  #2  
Old June 11, 2010, 03:25 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dustin View Post
One evening, after thinking it over for some time, Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight.
Una noche, despús de pensarando por algún tiempo, Harold decidió ir por un paseo en la luz de la luna. You have a typo in the third word.
The third word is part of a two-word preposition. Prepositions have an object, which is the word 'thinking' in English. Objects are nouns, so the word 'thinking' isn't a verb in English; it's a gerund. In Spanish, it should also be a noun. The infinitive is used to express that form (you chose the right verb, but it needs to be treated as a noun (a verbal) and is, therefore, not conjugated). The '-ando' ending you gave the word is for 'present participles'. Present participles are also verbals (they are not conjugated). By the way, to create that present participle, you should first remove the '-ar' ending and then add the '-ando' ending. Whew! Now, knowing that you should use a verbal (a noun), you'll need to use an infinitive AND it needs a direct object pronoun (after thinking IT over...). Direct object pronouns are suffixed to infinitives.
The word 'algún' isn't totally wrong, but there is a better word that means Harold spent a lot of time thinking it over (which is the idea I got from the English sentence).
There is a phrase in Spanish that means 'to go for a walk'. It is 'dar un paseo'.
To say 'in the moonlight', there is a set way to say it ('by the light of the moon'). That phrase is 'a la luz de la luna'.

There wasn't any moon, and Harold needed a moon for a walk in the moonlight.
No había luna, y Harold necesario una luna por un paseo en la luz de la luna. Verb needed.

And he needed something to walk on.
Y él necesario la cosa caminar sobre. It's improper grammar to end a Spanish sentence in a preposition. The preposition is used earlier in the sentence, with the word 'que' and the verb. 'Something' is 'algo'. Rephrase the English sentence to 'And he needed something on which to walk,' and you'll be on the right track.

He made a long straight path so he wouldn't get lost.
Hizo un camino larga y recta, para él no se perdiera.
You used the proper form of the subjunctive mood 'se perdiera', but it isn't used when there is no change in subject. If there is a change in subject, you need the word 'que' after 'para'.

Hope these hints helped.

Last edited by Rusty; June 11, 2010 at 04:05 PM.
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