Prepotente

Prepotente
 

So, I'm trying to find out the translation of "prepotente."

Encarta shows "prepotent" as "greater in power, force, or influence"

But when I say "El es una persona prepotente" I mean more like he thinks he's it, he has the power but thinks he's better or knows more than someone else....so it's not really a quality but more like a fault....

Is there another word for "prepotente" in English?? :confused:

I have never heard the word preponent in English, but from what
you explain supercilious seems like a good translation of preponente.
The problem is that supercilious is very high tone, and hardly nobody
will understand you. I think that pontifical may be a good substitute.
On a simpler level people may use "stuck up" "holier than thou" and perhaps even best on mid- level "condescending"

I agree with Poli. Prepotent is not a word you would normally hear in American English. I would use overbearing or arrogant. Both of these terms are quite common, and capture the meaning you quoted from the dictionary, and the alternate usage you gave.

From my point of view condescending is the best translation.But I might be wrong.

All good options so far. Depending on the situation, I'd try: overbearing, condescending, powerful, proud, influential, high-handed. In English powerful and proud don't necessarily have the negative connotation that prepotente has.

Condescending is the one. Go for it.

I agree that's the best option. :)

Got it!
 

Thank you!

I now understand that "prepotent" is not a word commonly used even though "prepotente" is widely used in Spanish.

Now, "condescending" is a tricky word because my brain immediately translates it to "condescendiente" which is really the opposite...:thinking:
Condescendiente is an adjective that means pronto, dispuesto a condescender - a person willing to please. I could say "Sus abuelos son muy condescendientes."

I guess I just need to rewire my brain so that the word condescending and arrogant stay together when I'm in English mode...LOL....

It's true, whey you're learning a language you need to think and dream in that language.....

Am I right:?:

That's a definite goal.Thinking and dreaming in a foreign language-- you have probably reached that goal awhile ago. I never knew that condescendente had a positive connotation in Spanish. I'm glad I never used it. I'm sure it would have caused confusion if I did. Thanks for the information.
Poli

Pixter,

I don't know about dreaming in the new language.......I've trying to learn Italiano (Pimsleur Tapes) which is very basic and if I start dreaming in Italian I wouldn't know what my dream was about!

But because of my being bilingual, a lot of people ask me if I dream in English or Spanish. I dream in both languages, is that true with other people?

Elaina:p:p

I dream and think in both languages.

I confess to dreaming in broken Spanish at times. It is not broken in my dream.

I don't remember wich language I use dreaming. I use a language, that's all.
And the good thing it's that everybody understands me.
saludos :D

I'm too busy to dream when I sleep.

You are so cute, Poli.;)

Both
 

I dream in both (mostly English though). What is really fun is when I dream in a language I don't actually know well enough to speak and yet in the dream it comes out perfectly. Sometimes I have woken up and run to grab a dictionary to see if any of the words I used (that I don't know in waking life) were real.:confused:

In my dreams my French is unbelievably fluent. I wish it was like that in real life...:(

And were they? :D

I looked it up on <snip> and this is what they came up with 1. Word:- prepotente
Pronunciation:- [pray-po-ten’-tay]
Meaning(s):- a. 1 Very powerful.
2: Abusive of power over one’s inferiors.