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Two short sentences


laepelba February 20, 2011 06:50 AM
Two short sentences
 
These two sentences are from my exercise book. They are completely without context ... just examples taken from a long list of sentences using "para". I don't understand the meaning of these two.

5) El taxi llegó cuando estaba para salir caminando.
My attempt at understanding it: The taxi arrived when it was for going walking. :confused:

6) Este trabajo es para el lunes a las cuatro en punto.
My attempt at understanding it: This work is for Monday at four o'clock on the dot. :confused:

I am positive that my understandings are wrong because they make absolutely no sense.............

Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!!

Perikles February 20, 2011 07:36 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by laepelba (Post 105793)
5) El taxi llegó cuando estaba para salir caminando.
My attempt at understanding it: The taxi arrived when it was for going walking. :confused:

6) Este trabajo es para el lunes a las cuatro en punto.
My attempt at understanding it: This work is for Monday at four o'clock on the dot. :confused:

I am positive that my understandings are wrong because they make absolutely no sense.............

Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!!
5) The taxi arrived when I was on the point of going out on foot

6) Why does this make no sense? This work is to be finished by ..... on the dot. Would you not say that when handing out homework - to be done for Monday....etc.?

chileno February 20, 2011 07:36 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by laepelba (Post 105793)
These two sentences are from my exercise book. They are completely without context ... just examples taken from a long list of sentences using "para". I don't understand the meaning of these two.

5) El taxi llegó cuando estaba para salir caminando.
My attempt at understanding it: The taxi arrived when I/he/she was going for a walk or ...was ready to go walking/start walking. :confused:

6) Este trabajo es para el lunes a las cuatro en punto.
My attempt at understanding it: This work is for Monday at four o'clock on the dot. :confused: what is it you are not understanding, don't even look at the question in Spanish...

I am positive that my understandings are wrong because they make absolutely no sense.............

Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!!

I hope it helps.

laepelba February 20, 2011 07:42 AM
Thanks to you both.

In #5, I missed the alternate conjugation of the verb "estaba", I was thinking "it was", but should have seen it as "I was"....

In #6, maybe it's a BrE vs. AmE thing. I would never hear "the work was for 4:00" as "it needs to be finished by 4:00". So this use of "para" indicates deadlines....

Perikles February 20, 2011 09:12 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by laepelba (Post 105799)
In #6, maybe it's a BrE vs. AmE thing. I would never hear "the work was for 4:00" as "it needs to be finished by 4:00". So this use of "para" indicates deadlines....
Actually, it would perhaps be understood, but is bad English. I was stretching a point to make the English a literal translation of the Spanish. Your version is much better.

laepelba February 20, 2011 09:13 AM
Thanks for bearing with my detail-orientedness, Perikles. :)

chileno February 20, 2011 10:22 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by laepelba (Post 105799)
Thanks to you both.

In #5, I missed the alternate conjugation of the verb "estaba", I was thinking "it was", but should have seen it as "I was"....

In #6, maybe it's a BrE vs. AmE thing. I would never hear "the work was for 4:00" as "it needs to be finished by 4:00". So this use of "para" indicates deadlines....
Correct. I missed that... By Monday at 4pm.... :)

ROBINDESBOIS February 20, 2011 11:53 AM
[QUOTE=laepelba;105793]These two sentences are from my exercise book. They are completely without context ... just examples taken from a long list of sentences using "para". I don't understand the meaning of these two.

5) El taxi llegó cuando estaba para salir caminando.
The taxi arrived when it was about to go for a walk

6) Este trabajo es para el lunes a las cuatro en punto.

This assignment is for Monday at four, the latest.

Perikles February 20, 2011 11:57 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBINDESBOIS (Post 1058075)
El taxi llegó cuando estaba para salir caminando.
The taxi arrived when it was about to go for a walk
Spot the mistake :lol::lol:

AngelicaDeAlquezar February 20, 2011 12:09 PM
@Lou Ann: (a time) o'clock = (hora) en punto
As for the taxi, it seems to have been taking too long for being there, so, as it's been said, I was about to walk to where I was going instead of waiting for the car to take me there.
(I was ready for walking, is the idea behind the "para", I guess)

aleCcowaN February 20, 2011 01:30 PM
... estaba para salir [some countries] = ... estaba por salir [a lot of countries]

... I was "on the verge" of going out (walking)

es para el lunes = is due (next) Monday

laepelba February 20, 2011 06:48 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar (Post 105813)
@Lou Ann: (a time) o'clock = (hora) en punto
I'm not sure what you're correcting here.... "en punto" means "exactly 4:00", right?

chileno February 20, 2011 09:12 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by laepelba (Post 105820)
I'm not sure what you're correcting here.... "en punto" means "exactly 4:00", right?
Correct. "on the dot"

CrOtALiTo February 20, 2011 09:24 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by laepelba (Post 105820)
I'm not sure what you're correcting here.... "en punto" means "exactly 4:00", right?

Sorry but the correction is correct in Punto in an idiom in Spanish.

En punto de las 9 de la noche te espero en mi casa.
O' clock nine of nigh I see you in my house.

Son las 8 en punto.
It's eight clock.

I wait some correction for me.

Yours truly.

Elaina February 21, 2011 04:31 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo (Post 105823)
Sorry but the correction is correct in Punto in an idiom in Spanish.

En punto de las 9 de la noche te espero en mi casa.
O' clock nine of nigh I see you in my house.
I expect you at my house tonight at 9 o'clock sharp.
I expect to see you at my house tonight at 9 o'clock on the dot.

Son las 8 en punto.
It's eight clock.
It's eight o'clock on the dot.

I wait some correction for me.

Yours truly.
My :twocents:

irmamar February 22, 2011 02:24 AM
Is "on the dot" used in BrEnglish?

Perikles February 22, 2011 03:01 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar (Post 105925)
Is "on the dot" used in BrEnglish?
Yes, it sounds very English to me. :)

laepelba February 22, 2011 03:09 AM
I would say it, too....

irmamar February 22, 2011 04:37 AM
OK, thank you. :)

brute February 22, 2011 10:33 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Perikles (Post 105810)
Spot the mistake :lol::lol:
The taxi arrived just as I was about to go on foot.

The first is obvious, but the second one is more subtle.
This suggests that I intended to walk to the destination for which the taxi was required. Going for a walk does not suggest a definite destination.
Going for a walk just as the taxi arrived would be a mere coincidence.
:thinking::thinking:


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