Please could you help translate"The result was certain ,it was never unexpected.

Question

Would you use fue or era for was?

Answer 1

El resultado era cierto,era nunca inesperado.

Ok. For this context we may prefer a different otption to translate "certain". I'd go for:

El resultado era seguro, nunca fue inesperado.

We had an expectation, somewhat speculative, about the result, therefore we use the subjunctive there. Since we already know the result, we can now give the whole thing closure, and state firmly in the preterit that it was never unexpected - nunca fue. Simple!

Answer 2

Actually, both, one for each part of the sentence.

• Thanks Gekkosan,but I cannot understand why it should be both. - foysoy Jan 18, 2011
• Tell us how you'd write it, and I'll be happy to offer an explanation or correction. :-) - Gekkosan Jan 18, 2011
• I'm curious too since I would have used estar and era. - jeezzle Jan 18, 2011
• Heh-heh.. we're waiting for Foysoy to offer his attempt. :-) - Gekkosan Jan 18, 2011
• El resultado era cierto,era nunca esperado. - foysoy Jan 18, 2011
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Answer 3

What if you said "El resultado estaba cantado, nunca era inesperado." That is how I would have said it off the top of my head. Is that totally wrong? My grammar is not the best.

• You can say "estaba cantado", but you must use fue inesperado. "Era inesperado " implies a repeating action. - Gekkosan Jan 18, 2011

Answer 4

Hi friends,

I think:

El resultado fue seguro; nunca fue un resultado inesprado.

here by this sentences ( which imply a same report) is an indicative past tense form by which we report of an event (the result take place as expected). so it is not subjunctive (subjuntivo).

• This version also works, although it changes the original structure. It is also a good interpretation. - Gekkosan Jan 18, 2011