Inglés- español

[Caramelita]

Hola

Here is another text I translated from english to spanish, if I have any mistakes, I will be very grateful to whoever helps me to correct them

Today I don't want to leave the house before the mail comes because I am waiting for my package to arrive finally. I have already waited for many days and I think that today my package will finally arrive. I am not sure whether the package will fit the mailbox or if I should go pick it up from the post office. I won't have any power to go to the post office because it's still very slippery outside. When will the spring finally come, it's taking its time ( or it's really late already this year) especially the nights have been really cold for this season. According to the weather forecast, the spring will finally come next week. The spring officially starts when during the whole day the temperature is more than 0 degrees.


Hoy no quiero salir de casa antes de que llegue el correo porque estoy esperando a que finalmente llegue mi paquete . He esperado ya muchos días y creo que hoy finalmente llegará el paquete. No estoy seguro si el paquete quepa en el buzón o si debería ir a cogerlo de la oficina de correos. No tendré fuerza para ir hacia la oficina de correos porque sigue siendo muy resbaladizo afuera. Cuándo llegará la primavera finalmente, ya se está tardando mucho este año y especialmente las noches han sido muy frías para esta temporada. Según el pronóstico del tiempo, la primavera llegará finalmente la próxima semana. La primavera empieza oficialmente cuando, durante todo el día ,la temperatura se encuentra a más de cero grados.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Good job.

Some suggestions below:

Originally Posted by Caramelita

Hoy no quiero salir de casa antes de que llegue el correo porque estoy esperando a que finalmente llegue mi paquete . He esperado ya muchos días y creo que hoy finalmente llegará el paquete. No estoy seguro *** (a preposition is needed here) si el paquete quepa (present tense is preferred to subjunctive) en el buzón o si debería ir a cogerlo de la oficina de correos. No tendré fuerza para ir hacia la oficina de correos porque sigue siendo (another verb is needed here) muy resbaladizo afuera. *** (I suggest to insert question marks) Cuándo llegará la primavera finalmente, ya se está tardando mucho este año y especialmente las noches han sido muy frías para esta temporada. Según el pronóstico del tiempo, la primavera llegará finalmente la próxima semana. La primavera empieza oficialmente cuando, durante todo el día ,la temperatura se encuentra a más de cero grados.

[Caramelita]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

Good job.

Some suggestions below:

Thanks

Could you please give me an example for : No estoy seguro *** (a preposition is needed here) si el paquete quepa (present tense is preferred to subjunctive) and
No tendré fuerza para ir hacia la oficina de correos porque sigue siendo (another verb is needed here


But otherwise, would it be correct to leave it the way I did it?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

"Estar seguro de algo" is the general construction.

"...si el paquete..." should not be constructed with the subjunctive "quepa". You need the indicative here.

[Caramelita]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

"Estar seguro de algo" is the general construction.

"...si el paquete..." should not be constructed with the subjunctive "quepa". You need the indicative here.

Oh, what about "Im not sure if the package will fit" ... is "No estoy seguro" the same as "Estoy seguro" ? I was thinking that it is more like - " no estoy seguro - same as - dudo que.." I guess i was wrong.

Should it then be " No estoy seguro de que cabe en el buzón" ... does it sound strange?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

"De que" and "de si" need a different conjugation.

[Caramelita]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

"De que" and "de si" need a different conjugation.

Hmm.. Im not sure if I understood "Dudo que quepa en el buzón" and "No estoy seguro de si quepa en el buzón" ... are both incorrect? I thought that the indicative mood should be applied if something is certain... for example " Estoy seguro que cabe en el buzón... or .... Es verdad que cabe en el buzón...
Am I completely wrong?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

No, you are not completely wrong, but you are mixing three different constructions.

"Dudo que quepa en el buzón" is correct.

I already suggested what should follow "no estoy seguro de si..."

...and "no estoy seguro de que..." needs the subjunctive.

[Caramelita]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

No, you are not completely wrong, but you are mixing three different constructions.

"Dudo que quepa en el buzón" is correct.

I already suggested what should follow "no estoy seguro de si..."

...and "no estoy seguro de que..." needs the subjunctive.

Oh! Im sorry, I guess i was really confused at the time I now see what you meant... that I should have added "de si".. "No estoy seguro de si el paquete quepa en el buzón". Thaaaaank you

No tendré fuerza para ir hacia la oficina de correos porque sigue siendo (another verb is needed here)

One more question : What verb should I have put there instead? " sigue siendo resbaladizo" , would it be wrong on its own?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

"No estoy seguro de si..." does NOT use the subjunctive. "Quepa" is wrong.

Using the verb "ser" means that it has always been, it is, and it will always be slippery, so you're unlikely to ever leave your home like that. Check the differences between "ser" and "estar" here.

[Caramelita]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

"No estoy seguro de si..." does NOT use the subjunctive. "Quepa" is wrong.

Using the verb "ser" means that it has always been, it is, and it will always be slippery, so you're unlikely to ever leave your home like that. Check the differences between "ser" and "estar" here.

Oh, then " sigue estando muy resbaladizo" ?

and : "No estoy seguro de si cabe en el buzón" ?

y otro ejemplo, solo para estar segura : "no estoy seguro de si viene hoy" ?


I dont understand...i just read that subjunctive is used in doubts and denails and one of the examples given there is "no estar seguro" .... so why in this case shouldnt I use the subjunctive?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

"No estoy seguro de si..." does NOT use the subjunctive. "Quepa" is wrong.

Originally Posted by Caramelita

I dont understand...i just read that subjunctive is used in doubts and denails and one of the examples given there is "no estar seguro" .... so why in this case shouldnt I use the subjunctive?

Let me try and answer, but I'm not totally confident.

The Spanish for I'm not sure that.... is No estoy seguro de que + subjunctive:

No estoy seguro de que sea así

The expression No estoy seguro de si... is not the same, and does not take a subjunctive.

What I would like to know is whether this should be translated as a different level of uncertainty, or whether it is equivalent.

@Caramelita: does your example with the subjunctive have seguro de si or seguro de que ?

[Caramelita]

Originally Posted by Perikles

Let me try and answer, but I'm not totally confident.

The Spanish for I'm not sure that.... is No estoy seguro de que + subjunctive:

No estoy seguro de que sea así

The expression No estoy seguro de si... is not the same, and does not take a subjunctive.

What I would like to know is whether this should be translated as a different level of uncertainty, or whether it is equivalent.

@Caramelita: does your example with the subjunctive have seguro de si or seguro de que ?

it only says "no estar seguro" and the rest of the examples are "dudar", "no creer", "no parecer" , "no comprender", "no pensar", "no es cierto que" etc.

What would fit in the text better : "no estoy seguro de que quepa en el buzón" or "no estoy seguro de si cabe en el buzón" ? I think the first one.

[Perikles]

I was just trying to reconcile what my grammar book says with what @Angelica said. Not only is the Spanish subjunctive very difficult, the task is made harder by inadequate grammar books, which never give enough examples.

[Caramelita]

Originally Posted by Perikles

I was just trying to reconcile what my grammar book says with what @Angelica said. Not only is the Spanish subjunctive very difficult, the task is made harder by inadequate grammar books, which never give enough examples.

I think I understood it finally. Checked some sites and it says that "No estoy seguro de SI" - the "de si" never comes in subjuntive, only in indicative.
BUT "no estoy seguro de que" - does take the subjuntive. so basically whenever we have "si", its going to be followed by an indicative mood

so : "no estoy seguro de si cabe en el buzón". but to me it doesnt sound right so I would anyway use the "no estoy seguro de que quepa en el buzón".