Unless

Unless
 

English: I'm not going unless you go.

Español: no voy a ir a menos que vallas.

Is that a correct translation? I find myself wanting to translate "unless" sometimes but I'm not too sure as to what the correct translation is. "A menos que" is what I've found on translators and in some text, but I'd like to know if it is common.

Gracias,
Benjamín

I think it's almost right, but your subjunctive form is wrong

no voy a ir a menos que vayas

You could also use a no ser que + subj., which I think is more common::thinking:

no voy a ir a no ser que vayas

And you can shorten it to "no voy a menos que vayas" :)

:rolleyes: As usual, just for the sake of regional differences, "no voy a menos que vayas" would sound very very strange in Mexico.

@Perikles: "A no ser que" is not more common around here. :thinking:

@BJ: As Perikles said, your sentence is fine, except for "vayas". :)

"No voy a menos que vayas" would be "normal" in Spain...

"Yo no voy a menos que tú vayas" (the usage of the pronoun would make it more emphatic, but not uncommon)

But probably the most colloquial (and common) way to say it would be,
"Si no vas tú, [yo] no voy"

I was going to write about the emphasis, but I didn't. What I forgot was the last one, which could also written as "Si no vas (tú), (yo) no voy.

Which when using the pronoun(s) would add emphasis.

:)

Right... (I'd tend to use the pronouns in this case... as it it seems a very "personal" thing...) ;) :)