As I was doing something...

[Perikles]

Both counts? ¿Ambos casos? :thinking: (or both cases? :confused: )Both counts = in both cases :)

[irmamar]

Thanks :)

[pjt33]

La frase es:

Al intentar abrir la puerta, se me rompió la llave.

(el resto de la frase está bien).

The answer is:

In/On trying to open... / As / While I was trying to open...

I said: When I was trying to open...
:thinking: Pues a mí me parece que sería mejor el pretérito sencillo:

When I tried to open the door, the key broke.

[irmamar]

:thinking: Pues a mí me parece que sería mejor el pretérito sencillo:

When I tried to open the door, the key broke.

No me ayudas mucho... :thinking:

Supongo que es el tipo de frases "mientras estás haciendo algo, alguna cosa pasó". Ellos lo traducen usando el continuous.

[pjt33]

"Mientras + imperfecto" sí que traduzco "while", pero "Al + infinitivo" me parece hablar de un evento discreto, no de algo continuo.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Hmmm... Creo que puede ser discreto o continuo... :thinking:

"El pájaro entró al abrir la ventana" puede significar que el pájaro entró cuando estaba abriendo la ventana o que el pájaro entró justo después de que abrí la ventana.

[María José]

In the sentence above,

As I was doing something ... (something happened):good:
Whilst I was doing something ...(something happened):good:
When I was doing something ...(something happened):good:

As I was walking down the stair
I met a man who wasn't there

Although I would not use 'when' here, I think some would, and I actually don't know if it's 'correct' :thinking: I think it is: (one = one year old etc.)

When I was one I had hardly begone
When I was two I was almost new
When I was three I was barely me
When I was four I wasn't much more
When I was five I was barely alive
Now I am six I'm ever so clever
So now I'll stay six for ever and ever. :)
Love your little poem, Perikles :lol:

[CrOtALiTo]

La frase es:

Al intentar abrir la puerta, se me rompió la llave.

(el resto de la frase está bien).

The answer is:

In/On trying to open... / As / While I was trying to open...

I said: When I was trying to open...

In my way to think that I believe that the second choice is the most adequate in the translation, because you in the second choice are saying that you was while open the door without the key, because I guess that you haven't had the key in that moment.:D

[hermit]

¡Que bueno llegar al punto así con toda observación!

[CrOtALiTo]

Also it can be used in another ways.

I mean.

I was trying to open the door a while.


Mientras tanto estaba procurando abrir la puerta.

I believe that the word procurando can exchange itself with the word doing.

[irmamar]

¡Que bueno llegar al punto así con toda observación!

Hermit, está bien que seas breve (por tu firma), pero explícate más que hoy no te entiendo nada :thinking: :)

[chileno]

Hermit, está bien que seas breve (por tu firma), pero explícate más que hoy no te entiendo nada :thinking: :)

Está hablando con Crotalito. :D

[irmamar]

Está hablando con Crotalito. :D

Ah, vale. ;)

Crotalito. I had the key, but it was broken :)