Unos minutos

[irmamar]

Durante unos minutos no sabía si decir...

For a few minutes I didn't know whether to say...

May I say "for some minutes" instead?

Thanks

[poli]

After a few minutes, I didn't know what to say.

[irmamar]

My book says "for a few minutes", but I wrote "for some minutes".

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

My book says "for a few minutes", but I wrote "for some minutes".

Yes, you could say that, it would be correct. Having said that, I would say "for a few minutes".

I can't agree with @poli about "after..." but then maybe this is another dialect issue.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by irmamar

My book says "for a few minutes", but I wrote "for some minutes".

for a few minutes
por unos pocos minutos

for some minutes
por algunos minutos

durante unos/algunos minutos/ ...durando algunos minutos...
during some minutes

[hermit]

"For/during some minutes" is understood, but clumsy. "For some time" is good
English, but suggests a longer time frame than this context requires.

"For a few minutes" and "After a few minutes" are both correct, but
have different shades of meaning. Like "For a short time I didn't know
whether to say...and after a few minutes had gone by I did know what
to say (or still didn't).

[pjt33]

"For some minutes" me parece connotar más tiempo que "For a few minutes".

[Elaina]

I would say......

For a few minutes instead of for some minutes.

For some minutes doesn't quite sound "natural" to me.

My

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Durante unos minutos no sabía si decir...

For a few minutes I didn't know whether to say...

May I say "for some minutes" instead?

Thanks

I'm going the second choice.

For some minutes, I will be there with you

[Jessica]

I say a few minutes.

makes more sense

[irmamar]

"For a few minutes", I'll try to remember. Thanks everybody.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by irmamar

"For a few minutes", I'll try to remember. Thanks everybody.

Yes it's more appropriate than for some minutes.
For a few minutes.

Irmamar for a few minutes I think that this thread was case lost.

[Rusty]

"A lost case," Crotalito.
For a few minutes there, I thought this thread was a lost case.

[irmamar]

"A lost case" . "Un caso perdido", I guess.

One more question: I have to translate this sentence:

¿Le recordaste que trajera unos cuentos?

I wrote: Did you remind her to bring a few stories?
My book: Did you remind her to bring some stories?

Why "some" here instead "a few"?

Thanks.

[poli]

They are both good. It's the equivalent of unos and algunos.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by irmamar

"A lost case" . "Un caso perdido", I guess.

Yup.

[irmamar]

I was looking for some difference between them, but I couldn't find any. Thanks.

Is "yup" "yes"?

[hermit]

In colloquial NAmE "yup", "yep", "yeah" = yes

[irmamar]

Thanks. Do you know if it's used in BrE?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Is "yup" "yes"?

All kinds of words mean 'yes' in BrE, including yer, yep, aye, ay, ya, yeah and (women only) no.

Originally Posted by irmamar

Thanks. Do you know if it's used in BrE?

I think 'yup' is more AmE than BrE.