Algunas preguntas sobre un ejercicio (15-3)

Originally Posted by laepelba (Post 96739)

This exercise involves the subjunctivo imperfecto, but my questions on this exercise don't involve that tense (yet).... This is another translation exercise, so I have some questions about sentence construction and use of the imperfect vs. preterit in the indicative (and a couple of other, less important things).

4) English sentence: Ann and Mary wanted seats that were close to the screen.
My attempt at translation: Ann y Mary quisieron asientos que estuvieran cerca de la pantalla.
The book's "answer": Ann y Mary querían asientos que estuvieran cerca de la pantalla.
My question: Is this one of those situations where "querer" could be used either in the preterit or the imperfect?
In this case "querían" is the correct one, as it was concrete, not a supposition.

5) English sentence: They did not want to watch the commercials before the movie started.
My attempt at translation: No quisieron ver los anuncios antes de que la película empezara.
The book's "answer": Ellos no querían ver los comerciales antes de que empezara la película.
My questions:
(a) Same as above - could "querer" be either preterit or imperfect? To me in this case Yes.
(b) Are anuncios and comerciales interchangeable here? Yes
(c) Does the order of "empezara la película" matter? No

6) English sentence: Jack left the movie theater before the film ended.
My attempt at translation: Jack se fue del cine antes de que la película terminara.
The book's "answer": Jack se fue del cine antes de que terminara la película.
My question: Same as in #5, does the order of "terminara la película" matter? No
In this case, depending of the narration, "se iba del cine" could also be used.

My concern is really about the two questions on the preterit vs. imperfect. Thanks so much!!

Originally Posted by laepelba (Post 96739)

This exercise involves the subjuntivo imperfecto, but my questions on this exercise don't involve that tense (yet).... This is another translation exercise, so I have some questions about sentence construction and use of the imperfect vs. preterit in the indicative (and a couple of other, less important things).
<---- DOH, again! Moderator? Please help me edit the spelling in my first post!! Thanks!!

Originally Posted by chileno (Post 96750)

Hope it helps.
<---- It does help ... but a quick question ... Does "preterit" indicate "supposition"?

Originally Posted by aleCcowaN (Post 96753)

The general tone promotes a translation using imperfect. [This may be developed further as an independent topic in the grammar section] <---- "tone" like the description of a setting?

5b) It depends on the country. "Comerciales" provides the most neutral translation.

5c and 6) Both word orders are O.K. but common people favour 'terminara la película'. It has to do with collocations and grammar processing [This also may be developed further]
<------ Alec, did you ever see my question about trying to find a book of Spanish collocations? If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them!

Originally Posted by irmamar (Post 96850)

With "verbos estativos" (stative verbs:?:), such as: saber, querer, conocer, ser "algo", amar, etc., we use imperfect to show that this is a continuous state (and the verb tells nothing about its ending):
<----- "continuous" meaning that you can't prove an end to a particular "action"?

Ellos eran inteligentes.
Ellas querían asientos cercanos a la pantalla.
Nosotros nos amábamos.
Nadie sabía nada del tema.

You can use simple past when you want to say "just at that moment":

Quisieron comprar pasteles (just at that moment).
Querían comprar pasteles (they had in their mind the idea of buying some cakes).

The first sentence tells me that they bought cakes. The second doesn't tell me if they did.

Querían sentarse cerca de la pantalla y lo hicieron.
They wanted seats close to the screen and they got them.

If I don't add the second part of the sentence, I don't know if they got them.

No querían ver los anuncios/comerciales.

I don't know if they watched the commercials or not.

Ellas no quisieron ver los anuncios/comerciales.

They didn't watch them.

I hope it helps. :)
<------ Yes, VERY helpful!! So ... if I can't show/assume an end to the action, then it should definitely be imperfect? Hmmm....

Originally Posted by irmamar (Post 97011)

Aspecto perfecto: acción acabada.
Aspecto imperfecto o imperfectivo: acción no acabada.
:)

Originally Posted by laepelba (Post 97002)

Originally Posted by laepelba (Post 97060)

Alec - I understand (and appreciate) your point ... without wanting to start a big discussion on this, I see this as the "homework" section ... I'm not asking general questions about overarching grammar points, but specific questions about multiple problems in an exercise. I can't imagine posting a different new thread for each separate question. This one alone would have been five new threads..... I'm not looking for big discussions, but just explanations about specific problems that I've completed..... Otherwise, what is this sub-forum for?