+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 4 of 4

Thread: Help with Spanish idioms?? :)

 
  1. #1
    New Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Age
    32
    Posts
    1
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Help with Spanish idioms?? :)

    I am working on an essay for my advanced spanish class, and right now I don't feel so advanced because I'm not confident with the following phrases... Do these translations sound right? If they are awkward or incorrect, could you help me fix em? Thanks!!

    (Don't know how to use accents in this forum yet..)

    I'm the only one who looks like my dad.
    Soy la unica persona que parece como mi papa.

    Essay about myself
    Ensayo sobre mi mismo

    Skating is a fun sport because you can defy gravity.
    El patinar es un deporte divertido porque pueda desafiar la gravidad.

    Thanks to him, I began research on the brain.
    Gracias a el, empece la investigacion sobre el cerebro.

    Muchas gracias!! I will hopefully repay the favor on this site!

  2. #2
    New Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    7
    Rep Power
    194

    Default Re: Help with Spanish idioms?? :)

    Soy el(la) único(a) que se parece a mi papá.

    Ensayo autobiográfico.

    El patinar es un deporte divertido porque se desafía la gravedad, o
    El patinar es un deporte divertido porque desafías la gravedad.

    Gracias a el, empecé a hacer investigaciones acerca del cerebro.

  3. #3
    Forum User Goodnightmoon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Spain
    Posts
    63
    Rep Power
    423

    Default Re: Help with Spanish idioms?? :)

    I suppose you meant idiomatic usage as those sentences are not idioms. One main recommendation: Don't forget the accents!

    Ensayo could be a bit too much for school work, at least in Spain we use it for professional work so I'd just say "Redacción sobre mí" and you avoid mismo/a depending on whether you're a boy or a girl.

    You can say "Patinar es muy divertido..." (el is not necessary here, not wrong if you include it though, just a matter of personal preference and local usages) or "El patinaje es un deporte muy divertido..." (el IS mandatory here). As for the second part it sounds more idiomatic to say "porque desafías" or also "porque se desafía", as Cucosteles suggested. Personally I prefer the impersonal form.

    Hope this helps!
    Last edited by Goodnightmoon; 08-15-2008 at 11:10 AM.

  4. #4
    Senior Member mem286's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Santa Fe, Argentina
    Posts
    1,303
    Rep Power
    3342

    Default Re: Help with Spanish idioms?? :)

    My 5 cents:

    I'm the only one who looks like my dad.
    Soy el único que se parece a mi papá.

    Essay about myself
    Una redacción (o un escrito o una composisión) sobre mí. (I agree with Goodnightmoon)

    Skating is a fun sport because you can defy gravity.
    Patinar es un deporte divertido porque puedes desafiar la gravedad.

    Thanks to him, I began research on the brain.
    Gracias a él, comencé (o empecé) a investigar el cerebro.

    Hope it helps!

+ Reply to Thread

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. A list of idioms. What others do you know?
    By ludmilak in forum English Language Topics
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 01-21-2015, 02:32 PM
  2. translation of idioms
    By andreap in forum General English to Spanish Translation
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 03-14-2012, 10:06 AM
  3. Idioms
    By rickb in forum General Spanish to English Translation
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 12-29-2010, 03:34 PM
  4. Classic idioms
    By Vinayaka06 in forum General English to Spanish Translation
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 02-07-2008, 10:19 AM
  5. Idioms
    By sabrina in forum General Spanish to English Translation
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 04-09-2007, 10:48 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •