Obligation

Question

Hello,

When it comes to relationships, does "no obligation" / "No obligación" mean the same thing in Spanish (Mexico) as it does in English?

I'm trying to find a nicer way of saying the age old cliche: "no strings attached."

I hope someone can lend their expertise.

Many thanks! E

Answer 1

The "no" in "no obligation" is really an ellipsis (a short way of saying something) for "there is no obligation." Spanish doesn't usually do this (there are exceptions). So, where we say "No problem," Spanish says "No hay problema." I think the same would apply here. You could say "No hay obligación" or "Sin obligación."

Answer 2

I believe a nicer way would be:

Sin compromisos...

In Spain your sentence: sin atataduras

Answer 3

You might want to put the whole sentence....

Answer 4

I´ve always heard "sin (mucho) compromiso".

Answer 5

P.S. Can you actually say a ¨No obligation¨ relationship in English? I´ve never heard it said exactly like that.

Answer 6

Sure. Let's assume two people have met online.

"Would you like to get together for coffee? You know, just casual. No obligation."

It's sort of a joke, using the stock phrase used in commercials.

Answer 7

Hmm... ok, what I want to say is:

Spend the night with me again. No obligation.

I might not be saying this correctly:

Pasa la noche conmigo otra vez. Sin compromisos.

Will that work'

Answer 8

Ahhhh, very important to know that it is she who is supposed to have no obligation. the wording you used sounded as though YOU didn't want any kind of obligation.

so:

Pása la noche conmigo otra vez. No te sientas presionada./No lo hagas si no quieres.

Like Gustavo said: good choice.

Answer 9

Jesus, I have just seen, you are a female. ok:

no te sientas presionado/no lo hagas si no quieres..pasa la noche conmigo otra vez.

Answer 10

Heidita, how do you know it isn't two women? (Erin is usually a female name, but I have a male friend of that name.)

James in California, where gay marriage is now legal

Answer 11

I'm a woman. Soy una mujer. And I'm just crossing over from beginner to intermediate in my Spanish. So go easy on me.

Answer 12

Erin, I wasn't being hard on you. I was kidding Heidita, who made the assumption that because you are a woman, the person you are writing to must be a man. That is by far the most likely scenario, but it isn't necessarily the only one. That's all.

Answer 13

Oh no no, I'm fine. I just meant with the Spanish. I struggle with some of it.

For instance: No lo hagas si no quieres. Does that say "you don't have to do it if you don't want." ?

You all have been a great help. ¡Muchas gracias! Oh, and yes, I'm writing to a man.

Answer 14

Yes, that's the exact translation...if somebody said this to me I would understand, ok, no obligation...

Answer 15

Actually, it's the negative imperative, so it means "Don't do it if you don't want to." And I don't think that really conveys what you were trying to convey.

If I understand you, you want to tell the guy that you want him to spend the night with you again, but that he shouldn't think that means you two are a permanent couple. That is, there may not be a third night together, so he shouldn't feel pressured. Right?

If so, then I think you should choose one of the other options given.