Translating a simple paragraph (Exercise 7-22)

[laepelba]

Continuing to work through a book of basic Spanish grammar exercises, in an attempt to fill in some of the "holes" in the learning that I've done so far. It has been (I believe) very fruitful so far.

One of the exercises in the chapter covering the future and conditional tenses asks me to translate a simple paragraph from English to Spanish. I did okay for the most part - only needed to look up a small handful of words, and the majority of the errors I made (according to their "answer" in the back of the book) were my usual - prepositions, word order, etc.

I want to ask some questions, though. So I'm going to include here (1) the original English paragraph, (2) my original translation, and (3) the "corrected" translation. I will indicate my questions at the bottom of this post.


My Questions:
1) Are "plano" and "plan" interchangeable?
2) I don't understand why this is conditional tense. Is this an example of conditional used to express probability? (Like in my other thread?)
3) When do you use "algunos" and when do you use "unos"?
4) Aargh!! Is this like the definite article instead of the possessive pronoun used with body parts?
5) Is there any significant difference between using "doctor" and using "médico"?
6) How do I know when to use "pensar" and when to use "creer"? I thought that "pensar" is closer to "to think" and "creer" closer to "to believe".
7) I'm a bit stumped on this one, too. If I go on a trip and stay at a friend's house, I "quedar" at my friend's house, right? I am absolutely positive that I under-use "pasar" because I don't really understand the extent of the meaning. What are the distinctions here?
8) Why is "ejercicios" plural here?
9) Why is the "que" here?
10) Help me with the syntax here.......

Additional question: in a direct translation, it makes sense to "perdir libras". But I am not comfortable with the use of this as a Spanish phrase. First of all, most Spanish-speaking countries use the Metric system, so they measure weight in kilos, right? And the dictionary has two words for losing weight: "enflaquecer(se)" and "enjugarse". How do Spanish-speakers in Latin America talk about losing weight, or losing kilos?

I feel like I have fewer "significant" questions on this one. Maybe I made fewer "significant" errors this time? THANK YOU for any suggestions or answers you may have to share with me!

[Rusty]

perder peso - to lose weight
ganar peso - to gain weight

[Ambarina]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Continuing to work through a book of basic Spanish grammar exercises, in an attempt to fill in some of the "holes" in the learning that I've done so far. It has been (I believe) very fruitful so far.

One of the exercises in the chapter covering the future and conditional tenses asks me to translate a simple paragraph from English to Spanish. I did okay for the most part - only needed to look up a small handful of words, and the majority of the errors I made (according to their "answer" in the back of the book) were my usual - prepositions, word order, etc.

I want to ask some questions, though. So I'm going to include here (1) the original English paragraph, (2) my original translation, and (3) the "corrected" translation. I will indicate my questions at the bottom of this post.


My Questions:
1) Are "plano" and "plan" interchangeable? No, I'm afraid not. "plano" is a drawing (map or technical) and "plan" is a plan/scheme.
2) I don't understand why this is conditional tense. Is this an example of conditional used to express probability? (Like in my other thread?)
You used the present (puede) when it's a suggestion, presumably from his doctor, made in the past.
If he does some exercise, he will lose weight, (probable) so...he can do some exercise to lose weight.
If he did some exercise, he could lose weight,(possible) so...he could do some exercise to lose weight.

3) When do you use "algunos" and when do you use "unos"?
4) Aargh!! Is this like the definite article instead of the possessive pronoun used with body parts? I personally don't agree with the book. I think "su" would be better here as we are personalising, i.e. talking about someone's health not just talking about "Health" as a subject.
5) Is there any significant difference between using "doctor" and using "médico"? The norm is that you use "doctor" when you are addressing the doctor at other times it's more normal to use "médico".
El médico me recetó estas pastillas.
- ¿Por favor, Doctor, me podría recetar estas pastillas?
6) How do I know when to use "pensar" and when to use "creer"? I thought that "pensar" is closer to "to think" and "creer" closer to "to believe". There's a fine divide between the two. The thing is that English uses "think" much more, as "believe" sounds a bit too emphatic in some cases. In this case, you are fairly confident that he will stick to his plan so it would be interchangeable with "believe". The Spanish use "creer".
7) I'm a bit stumped on this one, too. If I go on a trip and stay at a friend's house, I "quedar" at my friend's house, right? I am absolutely positive that I under-use "pasar" because I don't really understand the extent of the meaning. What are the distinctions here?
Spend time = pasar tiempo. How long do you spend doing your homework? ¿Cuánto tiempo pasas haciendo los deberes?
Stay = quedar How long are you going to stay in Spain? ¿Cuánto tiempo vas a quedarte en España?
8) Why is "ejercicios" plural here? Again, I don't agree with the book. I would use the singular. To do exercise is "hacer ejercicio" not "ejercicios"
9) Why is the "que" here?
Por supuesto = of course
Por supuesto que = of course.....
- Can you help me? Of course. Me puedes ayudar? Por supuesto
- Can you help me? Of course I can help you. Me puedes ayudar? Por supuesto que puedo ayudarte.
10) Help me with the syntax here.......

Additional question: in a direct translation, it makes sense to "perdir libras". But I am not comfortable with the use of this as a Spanish phrase. First of all, most Spanish-speaking countries use the Metric system, so they measure weight in kilos, right? And the dictionary has two words for losing weight: "enflaquecer(se)" and "enjugarse". How do Spanish-speakers in Latin America talk about losing weight, or losing kilos?
Rusty's anwered this.
I feel like I have fewer "significant" questions on this one. Maybe I made fewer "significant" errors this time? THANK YOU for any suggestions or answers you may have to share with me!

That's all I have time for, Lou Ann. Others will chime in later no doubt.
I agree that most of the mistakes you made were not terribly significant. You're doing well

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Ambarina

That's all I have time for, Lou Ann. Others will chime in later no doubt.
I agree that most of the mistakes you made were not terribly significant. You're doing well

Thanks to both of you for these answers and insights. VERY helpful!! Ambarina - I especially appreciate your encouragement. I am LOVING learning this beautiful language ... but sometimes I'm frustrated that I'm not learning faster. I feel like I don't have a good way to gauge my rate of learning or even IF I'm learning........

[chileno]

Hi Lou Ann:

My version.

Jack would like to be healthier. He has a plan: he will eat less and he will exercise. He could run and lift weights. Jack would lose a few pounds. And he would improve his health. The doctor said he would sleep better, too. Jack decided he would go to the gym. We think Jack will follow his plan. I wonder how long Jack spent at the gym today. Tim thinks Jack will not exercise every day. Of course Tim would help Jack. Jack will lift fifty pounds tomorrow. I wonder how many pounds Jack wants to lose. If Jack wants to go to the gym tomorrow, I will go too.

A Jack le gustaría ser más saludable. Él tiene un plan: comerá menos y ejercitará. Podría correr y levantar pesas. Jack perdería unas pocas/cuantas libras. Y Él mejoraría su salud. El doctor dijo que dormiría mejor también. Jack decidió que iría al gimnasio. Pensamos que Jack seguirá su plan. Me pregunto cuanto tiempo pasará Jack hoy en el gimnasio. Tim piensa que Jack no ejercitará todos los días. Por supuesto que Tim ayudaría a Jack. Jack levantará cincuenta libras mañana. Me pregunto cuantas libras desea/quiere Jack perder. Si Jack desea/quiere ir al gimnasio mañana, yo iré también.

Tu versión está muy buena.

Creo que tú tienes todo correcto expresando probabilidad y conjeturas. En cuanto a las preposiciones ya te contestaron y este es mi orden de las palabras.

[xchic]

I was taught:

pensar = to think intellectually, as in to think about something

creer = to believe

[chileno]

Originally Posted by xchic

I was taught:

pensar = to think intellectually, as in to think about something

creer = to believe

Correct. But it also means to imagine and to consider in Spanish.

I guess it is the same in English.

To think in English, does not mean to believe either.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by chileno

Correct. But it also means to imagine and to consider in Spanish.

I guess it is the same in English.

To think in English, does not mean to believe either.

which means to imagine and to consider?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

which means to imagine and to consider?

Pensar.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Originally Posted by laepelba

A Jack le gustaría ser más saludable. Tiene un (1) plano: comerá menos y hará ejercicio.
(2) Puede Podría correr y levantar pesas. Jack perdería (3) algunas unas libras. Y mejoraría (4) su la salud. El (5) doctor médico dijo que dormiría mejor también. Jack decidió que iría al gimnasio. (6) Pensamos Creemos que Jack seguirá su plano. ¿Cuánto tiempo (7) pasaría Jack quedaría en el gimnasio hoy? Tim piensa que Jack no hará (8) ejercicios todos los días. Por supuesto, (9) que Tim ayudaría a Jack. Jack levantará cincuenta libras mañana. ¿Cuántas libras (10) Jack querría perder Jack? Si Jack quiere ir al gimnasio mañana, yo iré también.

2) I don't understand why this is conditional tense. Is this an example of conditional used to express probability? (Like in my other thread?)
-- If you're studying the uses of conditional tense, it's logical that most of the verbs in the exercise will be used in conditional.
Anyway, why if you have a conditional tense in English would you change it in Spanish?


3) When do you use "algunos" and when do you use "unos"?
-- A matter of feeling, I guess, but both are right here.


4) Aargh!! Is this like the definite article instead of the possessive pronoun used with body parts?
-- Yes, it's the same, but since "mejoraría" can be either him or what he does for losing weight, "su salud" is acceptable here.


5) Is there any significant difference between using "doctor" and using "médico"?
-- Ambarina is right, but here, in colloquial speech you can use "doctor" all the time. "Médico" can sound more formal.


6) How do I know when to use "pensar" and when to use "creer"? I thought that "pensar" is closer to "to think" and "creer" closer to "to believe".
-- Adding to what has been said: When you say "pienso que", you're merely stating an opinion.
"Creo que" rather expresses a conviction.


7) I'm a bit stumped on this one, too. If I go on a trip and stay at a friend's house, I "quedar" at my friend's house, right? I am absolutely positive that I under-use "pasar" because I don't really understand the extent of the meaning. What are the distinctions here?
-- "Pasar tiempo" = "to spend time"
"Quedarse (en un lugar)" = "to stay (somewhere)"
-> "¿Cuánto tiempo se quedaría Jack en el gimnasio hoy?"


8) Why is "ejercicios" plural here?
-- I don't know!
I agree with Ambarina: "Hacer ejercicio" is the usual thing to say.
If you ask me, "hacer ejercicios" would mean that he's making different kinds of exercises every day (jogging, lifting weight, pilates, whatever), but it's not usual.


10) Help me with the syntax here.......
-- "Yo" adds an emphasis on offering my solidarity to Jack. You don't need it for the sentence to be understood though.

Originally Posted by laepelba

Additional question: in a direct translation, it makes sense to "perdir libras". But I am not comfortable with the use of this as a Spanish phrase. First of all, most Spanish-speaking countries use the Metric system, so they measure weight in kilos, right? And the dictionary has two words for losing weight: "enflaquecer(se)" and "enjugarse". How do Spanish-speakers in Latin America talk about losing weight, or losing kilos?

When people are living in the USA, they will use "libras", because that's the system used there, so it's natural that they don't translate to kilos all the time.

Mexican words for losing weight: "enflacar", "bajar de peso".
-> Te ves muy bien, bajaste de peso. (You look so good, you've lost weight.)
-> Hice una dieta muy estricta y no enflaqué nada. (I made a very strict diet and I didn't lose any weight.)
Mexican words for gaining weight: "engordar", "subir de peso".
-> Engordé en las vacaciones. (I gained weight during the holidays.)
-> Subí mucho de peso durante el embarazo. (I gained a lot of weight during pregnancy.)

Btw, here "enflaquecer" is rather used for someone who is losing weight because of a disease. And "enjugar" is rather used to dry someone's sweat or tears with a handkerchief.


And I also agree that mistakes are not terrible. You're making good progress.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

2) I don't understand why this is conditional tense. Is this an example of conditional used to express probability? (Like in my other thread?)
-- If you're studying the uses of conditional tense, it's logical that most of the verbs in the exercise will be used in conditional.
Anyway, why if you have a conditional tense in English would you change it in Spanish?
IS it the conditional in English? With the word "could"? I thought that the conditional pretty much only represented what we would say with "would". ??

10) Help me with the syntax here.......
-- "Yo" adds an emphasis on offering my solidarity to Jack. You don't need it for the sentence to be understood though.
I didn't mean the "yo" (I get that one....) I meant why does the "Jack" come in a different part of the sentence?

And I also agree that mistakes are not terrible. You're making good progress.

Thanks to EVERYONE!! I felt really good about this paragraph. I hope to finish the next chapter within the next two days or so. Hopefully I'll have another translation exercise posted before Saturday...

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Originally Posted by laepelba

IS it the conditional in English? With the word "could"? I thought that the conditional pretty much only represented what we would say with "would". ??

I may be very wrong, but I'd say yes, it is. "Could" and "would" have similar functions.
(In any case, if it had been a present tense, the verb would have been "can", right?.)

Originally Posted by laepelba

I didn't mean the "yo" (I get that one....) I meant why does the "Jack" come in a different part of the sentence?

Oh, I see. In many cases the subject's place is different in questions and in statements (like in English, but rule is a little more flexible in Spanish).

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

I may be very wrong, but I'd say yes, it is. "Could" and "would" have similar functions.
(In any case, if it had been a present tense, the verb would have been "can", right?.)

Yes, it is. I just didn't realize that it's the conditional..... I'll have to think on that one....


Oh, I see. In many cases the subject's place is different in questions and in statements (like in English, but rule is a little more flexible in Spanish).



So, is my original sentence okay, too? Or is it simply wrong?

Thanks!

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I can't say that the sentence is wrong, but it doesn't sound right. It would be understood, but Jack should definitely be after the verb so it doesn't sound weird.