One doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist

[JPablo]

One doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to know...

While this can be taken 'literally', I don't think it is used in the strict sense of the words...

How would you translate it into Spaninsh?

¿"Uno no tiene que ser un científico atómico"?
¿"Uno no tiene que ser un científico especialista en cohetes"?

I think I would go with something like,
"Uno no tiene que ser ningún Einstein para saber/darse cuenta/comprender..."

What Spanish options would be the best? :?:

[Chris]

I use like this "It's not rocket science." To which google translates to "No es ciencia de cohetes." But would this have the same meaning? I would define it as "Whatever task or job you are doing, it isn't that hard or you don't have to be smart to accomplish it. It's easy."

Another which is pretty much the same is "You don't have to be a brain surgeon..."

[chileno]

En Chile se usa mucho "no tengo que haber ido a la universidad para saber esto" se ocupa/usa para el sentido común.

[Chris]

What is the difference between tener and haber?

[chileno]

En Chile se usa mucho "no tengo que haber ido a la universidad para saber esto" se ocupa/usa para el sentido común.

What is the difference between tener and haber?

I don't have to have gone to university to know all this.

Does it make sense?

EDIT:

Tener que = must

I must not have gone to university to know this.

[Perikles]

I don't have to have gone to university to know all this.

Does it make sense?

EDIT:

Tener que = must

I must not have gone to university to know this. :bad::bad::bad:Do not confuse

I must not
I do not have to

In the above, the sense would be that only by not going to university you could know this.
I do not have to means it is not necessary

OK?

[Rusty]

Haber is the helping verb 'have' that appears in the compound verb conjugations. Tener is used to indicate that you possess something. (And it is used to indicate personal characteristics, like one's age.)

A conjugated form of haber is needed to translate these verbs:
I have seen
I had gone
I will have read
I would have known

[ookami]

Uno no tiene que ser experto en cohetes para... / No se tiene que ser... para
Uno no necesita ser experto en cohetes para... / No se necesita ser... para

Creo que es bastante popular decirlo así, conjugandolo de acuerdo a la oración, por supuesto:
A: ¡Qué difícil es manejar! ¡No logro prender el motor!
B: Pero... ¿Leíste el manual que te dí?
C: Ni que se necesitase ser experto en cohetes para poner un motor en marcha...
A: ¡Vos cerrá el pico!... que ni me querés acompañar a practicar.

[chileno]

Do not confuse

I must not
I do not have to

In the above, the sense would be that only by not going to university you could know this.
I do not have to means it is not necessary

OK?

Oh well, then I shouldn't have gone to university just to know this.

Would it be OK?

[Perikles]

Oh well, then I shouldn't have gone to university just to know this.

Would it be OK?No it isn't. :banghead: I need not have gone to university just to know this. :)

[chileno]

No it isn't. :banghead: I need not have gone to university just to know this. :)a

OK, please translate the following to English:

No debiera ir a la universidad pasa saber (sólo) esto.

No debería ir a la universidad para saber (sóolo) esto.

Don't bang your head that way, and I am sorry for being hardheaded. :)

[Chris]

So in an English sentence "I just HAD to HAVE it!" the verb haber would be HAD and tener would be HAVE?

EDIT: Or "I have to go to the bathroom." I would use haber instead of tener right?

He a ir al baño.

[chileno]

So in an English sentence "I just HAD to HAVE it!" the verb haber would be HAD and tener would be HAVE?

No, in Spanish both are tener.

Tener/deber as in must/should.

Of in Spanish you can say:

Debo/tengo que tenerlo = I have/must have it.

Should = debiera/debería.

So in an English sentence "I just HAD to HAVE it!" the verb haber would be HAD and tener would be HAVE?

EDIT: Or "I have to go to the bathroom." I would use haber instead of tener right?

He a ir a el baño.

He de ir al baño = I must/shall go to the bathroom

Tengo que ir al baño = I have to go to the bathroom.

[Perikles]

No debiera ir a la universidad pasa saber (sólo) esto.

No debería ir a la universidad para saber (sóolo) esto.

Don't bang your head that way, and I am sorry for being hardheaded. :)Sorry. I would not have to go to university (just) to know that (for both of them - I can't think of a way to differentiate.)

[chileno]

He de ir al baño = I must/shall go to the bathroom

Tengo que ir al baño = I have to go to the bathroom.

Sorry. I would not have to go to university (just) to know that (for both of them - I can't think of a way to differentiate.)

That I would translate it as:

No tendría que ir a la universidad (sólo) para saber eso.

So no more ideas?

Let me tell you a secret, here the problem is English not Spanish, don't tell anyone though... ;)

[Perikles]

Let me tell you a secret, here the problem is English not Spanish, don't tell anyone though... ;)I agree - it's English that is out of line with other European languages. The negatives of auxiliary verbs are difficult. Not my fault. :)

PD - I'm logging off - it's late, and the Spanish wine has gone to my head. Goodnight all. :)

[Perikles]

For a typical use of the expression 'rocket science' see this clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSxbmUcR8ao). (Can somebody tell me how to embed it?)

This girl is not a rocket scientist. Nothing to do with hair colour. :D

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

En México se dice mucho "(tal cosa) no es la gran ciencia" o "no se necesita la gran ciencia para (saber algo)".

También es común:
- No se necesita ser muy inteligente para (saber algo).
- No hace falta ser un intelectual para saber (algo).

"No se necesita ser un Einstein" no es una expresión común, pero se entiende bien. :)

[JPablo]

Bueno... (¡Qué bueeeeno, Daniel! Como dicen Les Luthiers...) Muchas gracias a todos por el input y el feedback...

Quizá no sean científicos de la NASA, pero dominan el idioma como buenos nativos... un placer conocer sus puntos de vistas, usos, comprensiones, idiosincrasias, y derivaciones... :)

[irmamar]

Easier (and more common):

Uno no tiene por qué...
;)