Off we went...

Question

Yesterday I read this phrase in a magazine and I don't know exactly how to translated.

Answer 1

I wanted to say how to translate it

Answer 2

nos fuimos'

Answer 3

But the function of the word: off. I can understand "nos fuimos", but off? adds some meaning to the phrase'

Answer 4

In English "off" can mean go away, like in this instance, we went away, we left the place where we were.

If you use "off" in another context like "we went OFF him" this means we do not like him any more.

Whereas, "we went OFF with him", means we went away with him (we left the place where we were and he accompanied us).

Probably none of the above makes it any clearer, does it'

Answer 5

It doesn't really. I had never seen the word "off" place at the beginning of a phrase and that has let me perplexed. Maybe it is a mistake, magazines sometimes make them.

Answer 6

It's not a mistake. We often use this phrase in England. It's like a passing comment. "Off we went"

Answer 7

How can be defined a "passing comment". Is it a pause filler or something similar'

Answer 8

It is just something that is said. It is not a pause filler as it is explaining an action. Don't make a big deal about it, just accept it and use it. If you want, you can just say, "we left" it has exactly the same meaning when used in isolation, ie on it's own.

Answer 9

Thank you Eddy

Answer 10

Dunia,
I would explain this a little differently. "To go off" is a standard English idiom, and can mean 1) dispararse, 2) explotar, 3) sonar (an alarm, etc.), 4) resultar ("The party went off without problem"), and 5) irse or marcharse. Number 5 is the meaning in your context, and it is synonymous with "to go away." Therefore, "Away we went" is almost exactly the same as "Off we went."

We use this phrase when referring to the start of some journey or action.

• We packed up the car and off/away we went.

• She told him she never wanted to see him again, and off she went.

• Off they went, holding hands and singing.

Answer 11

Thank you James, your explanation makes it all clear, you're a very good teacher.

Answer 12

Do you think "off" in this context could it be equated to the Spanish "se", in "se marchó" or "se durmió"?
For example, it could be: off she slept.

Answer 13

No, I don't think so. "Se" is a reflexive pronoun, while "off" is a preposition meaning "farther away from a current position" in this context. "To go off" in this meaning is very similar to "to set off," which means, among other things, to begin a journey.

• We awoke at 6:00 and set off on foot at 7:30.

"Set off" is always used in that order, that is, we never say "Off we set at 7:30," whereas "off we went" is usually in that order, and "we went off" usually has other nuances.

This is a difficult level of English, so if you can master it, you should be proud of yourself.

Answer 14

I'm still trying to master it.

Answer 15

And how can we forget... "Off we go, in to the wild blue yonder....." EVERYBODY SING!