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Grammar questions– conjugations, verb tenses, adverbs, adjectives, word order, syntax, etc.


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  #21
Old December 14, 2009, 11:06 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
Both counts? ¿Ambos casos? (or both cases? )
Both counts = in both cases
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  #22
Old December 14, 2009, 11:10 AM
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Thanks
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  #23
Old December 14, 2009, 12:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
La frase es:

Al intentar abrir la puerta, se me rompió la llave.

(el resto de la frase está bien).

The answer is:

In/On trying to open... / As / While I was trying to open...

I said: When I was trying to open...
Pues a mí me parece que sería mejor el pretérito sencillo:

When I tried to open the door, the key broke.
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  #24
Old December 14, 2009, 12:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pjt33 View Post
Pues a mí me parece que sería mejor el pretérito sencillo:

When I tried to open the door, the key broke.
No me ayudas mucho...

Supongo que es el tipo de frases "mientras estás haciendo algo, alguna cosa pasó". Ellos lo traducen usando el continuous.
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  #25
Old December 14, 2009, 12:30 PM
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"Mientras + imperfecto" sí que traduzco "while", pero "Al + infinitivo" me parece hablar de un evento discreto, no de algo continuo.
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  #26
Old December 14, 2009, 01:33 PM
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Hmmm... Creo que puede ser discreto o continuo...

"El pájaro entró al abrir la ventana" puede significar que el pájaro entró cuando estaba abriendo la ventana o que el pájaro entró justo después de que abrí la ventana.
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  #27
Old December 14, 2009, 01:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Perikles View Post
In the sentence above,

As I was doing something ... (something happened)
Whilst I was doing something ...(something happened)
When I was doing something ...(something happened)

As I was walking down the stair
I met a man who wasn't there

Although I would not use 'when' here, I think some would, and I actually don't know if it's 'correct' I think it is: (one = one year old etc.)

When I was one I had hardly begone
When I was two I was almost new
When I was three I was barely me
When I was four I wasn't much more
When I was five I was barely alive
Now I am six I'm ever so clever
So now I'll stay six for ever and ever.
Love your little poem, Perikles
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  #28
Old December 16, 2009, 09:29 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
La frase es:

Al intentar abrir la puerta, se me rompió la llave.

(el resto de la frase está bien).

The answer is:

In/On trying to open... / As / While I was trying to open...

I said: When I was trying to open...
In my way to think that I believe that the second choice is the most adequate in the translation, because you in the second choice are saying that you was while open the door without the key, because I guess that you haven't had the key in that moment.
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  #29
Old December 16, 2009, 04:26 PM
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¡Que bueno llegar al punto así con toda observación!
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  #30
Old December 16, 2009, 05:19 PM
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Also it can be used in another ways.

I mean.

I was trying to open the door a while.


Mientras tanto estaba procurando abrir la puerta.

I believe that the word procurando can exchange itself with the word doing.
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  #31
Old December 17, 2009, 12:25 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hermit View Post
¡Que bueno llegar al punto así con toda observación!
Hermit, está bien que seas breve (por tu firma), pero explícate más que hoy no te entiendo nada
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  #32
Old December 17, 2009, 02:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
Hermit, está bien que seas breve (por tu firma), pero explícate más que hoy no te entiendo nada
Está hablando con Crotalito.
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  #33
Old December 18, 2009, 01:29 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chileno View Post
Está hablando con Crotalito.
Ah, vale.

Crotalito. I had the key, but it was broken
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