Pressing one's case

[dupond]

Hi everyone

What's the correct translation for "pressing his/the case"?

Google has it as "presionando su caso" and "presionando el caso". I've seen it translated this way elsewhere, but I can't help but suspect that these are incorrect literal translations. Are they in fact correct?


Thanks

[Rusty]

'Presionando' is not a verb, so there must be a conjugated verb prior to it, like 'está', 'sigue' or 'continuó'. Then, whether the article or the possessive adjective is used, depends on what you want to say (and the context).

[JPablo]

Given that "press the case" is an idiom, any literal translation will not communicate in Spanish, unless it clearly duplicates the concept of the original.

https://www.macmillandictionary.com/...erican/press_2
to try to make someone accept something such as an opinion or a claim
press a point: She gave no answer, so I didn’t press the point.
press a claim: The young Duke of Normandy continued to press his claim to the English throne.
press a case: He was in Washington today to press the case for reforming tax laws.


... intentando convencer o persuadir (a alguien) sobre su opinión..., might do the trick.

Context is needed, of course, but that would be an option.

[dupond]

Maybe "His bosses didn't seem interested, but he kept pressing his case."

Would "Sus jefes no parecían interesados, pero sigue intentando convencerlos sobre su opinión" be okay?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Yes, but "siguió", because your original uses the preterite.

Also "siguió tratando de convencerlos", without "de su opinión" would do. If it's needed to know what idea he had in mind, this might come in another sentence, as I suppose it's the case in the English example.

[poli]

It think seguir is well here, but to press usually implies an imperative. Could you incorporate imponer or urgir or impeler here?

[dupond]

Could I say "siguió urgiendolos aceptar su argumento"?

[JPablo]

Originally Posted by dupond

Could I say "siguió urgiendolos aceptar su argumento"?

Yes, "... siguió urgiéndolos a aceptar su argumento" will be understood and is acceptable, in my view.

It may sound a bit "learned" perhaps, to my ear, but I would understand it.

I might say,

"... siguió intentando persuadirlos para que aceptaran su argumento", but that's my subjective opinion.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

...or "siguió insistiendo". That also gives an idea of the person not giving up.

[dupond]

Cheers. Thanks