What is the right way to say "Nothing is going to happen if I don't do something" in Spanish?

Question

When I was trying to write "nothing is going to happen if I don't do something", I wasn't able to find out how to write it in Spanish. Actually I am trying to express to one girl that we won't know whether there is chance or not if I do not ask her for going out for dinner. (Actually I want to date her). I am trying to write it in Spanish: Nada es yendo ocurrir (') si no se (') hago algo. I put two question marks in the sentence because I don't know if they are used correctly here, but "es yendo" sounds weird to me. Which is the common way to express "is going to do something" in Spanshi?
"my email address is" = "mi email dirección es" (Is it correct to use "dirección" here')
"Would you like to go to dinner with me when you have time'" = "¿te gustaría ir a la comida conmigo cuando tienes el tiempo o cuando seas (fueres') libre'" (not sure if it is correct.)

Please some one gives me any good ideas about expressing my ideas better.

All suggestions and advice are welcome.

Thank you,

Marco

Answer 1

Nothing is going to happen if I don't do something = Nada va a pasar si no hago nada.

My email address is = Mi dirección de correo electrónico es

Would you like to go to dinner with me when you have time? = ¿Te gustaría cenar conmigo cuando tengas tiempo'

Answer 2

James said:

Nothing is going to happen if I don't do something = Nada va a pasar si no hago nada.My email address is = Mi dirección de correo electrónico esWould you like to go to dinner with me when you have time? = ¿Te gustaría cenar conmigo cuando tengas tiempo?

Thank you, James for your reply.
Do Spanish people not use "is going" this form? Is the third person simple present tense form, "goes" - "va" always used in Spanish instead using "is going" this tense?
Thanks for mentioning "cenar" this word to me and I did not know it before. It is very useful and helpful.
Is there any other good sentences that I can write in this situation?

Marco

Answer 3

Do Spanish people not use "is going" this form? Is the third person simple present tense form, "goes" - "va" always used in Spanish instead using "is going" this tense'

I am going to eat = Voy a comer
We are going to go downtown = Vamos a ir al centro
She is going to cry = (Ella) va a llorar

Answer 4

Marco said:

Do Spanish people not use "is going" this form? Is the third person simple present tense form, "goes" - "va" always used in Spanish instead using "is going" this tense?

To be going to + verb = Ir a + infinitive

(present)
I am going to eat = Voy a comer
You are going to eat = Vas a comer
She is going to eat = (Ella) va a comer

(imperfect)
I was going to call you = Iba a llamarte
You were going to call me = Ibas a llamarme

This phrase works with all persons and all simple tenses, except the preterite, but it is mainly used in present and imperfect.

Answer 5

lazarus1907 said:

Marco said:

Do Spanish people not use "is going" this form? Is the third person simple present tense form, "goes" - "va" always used in Spanish instead using "is going" this tense?

To be going to + verb = Ir a + infinitive(present)I am going to eat = Voy a comerYou are going to eat = Vas a comerShe is going to eat = (Ella) va a comer(imperfect)I was going to call you = Iba a llamarteYou were going to call me = Ibas a llamarmeThis phrase works with all persons and all simple tenses, except the preterite, but it is mainly used in present and imperfect.

Thank you, James and lazarus.

lazarus, "To be going to + verb = Ir a + infinitive" really made sense to me. "to be going to + verb" and "go to + infinitive" are different and have different meaning in English. However as you mentioned, seems like they are the same and have same meaning in Spanish if I understood you correctly.

Marco

Answer 6

Marco said:

lazarus, "To be going to + verb = Ir a + infinitive" really made sense to me. "to be going to + verb" and "go to + infinitive" are different and have different meaning in English. However as you mentioned, seems like they are the same and have same meaning in Spanish if I understood you correctly.

They are pretty close, so in general you can use it in Spanish if you use it in English.

Also, "ir a + verb" can mean to go to a place to do something, like in English (to go to + verb); you can only differentiate one from another from the context. With this last meaning, it is no a periphrasis, but two verbs with their usual meaning that happen to be close to each other.

Answer 7

lazarus1907 said:

Marco said:

lazarus, "To be going to + verb = Ir a + infinitive" really made sense to me. "to be going to + verb" and "go to + infinitive" are different and have different meaning in English. However as you mentioned, seems like they are the same and have same meaning in Spanish if I understood you correctly.

They are pretty close, so in general you can use it in Spanish if you use it in English.Also, "ir a + verb" can mean to go to a place to do something, like in English (to go to + verb); you can only differentiate one from another from the context.

Would you please give me some examples for the last paragraph that you mentioned "Also, "ir a + verb" can mean to go to a place to do something, like in English (to go to + verb); you can only differentiate one from another from the context."? Actually I did not quite get what you were trying to teach me.

Thanks,

Marco

Answer 8

Voy a comprar tabaco a la tienda = I am going to buy cigarettes to the shop. (you leave your house; you go to the shop)
Voy a comprar tabaco en Amazon = I am going to buy cigarettes in Amazon. (you are not moving from your chair; you are not going anywhere)

Voy a cantar una canción a la calle = I am going to the street to sing a song (= motion)
Voy a cantar una canción en la calle = I am going to sing a song in the street (= intention)

Answer 9

lazarus1907 said:

Voy a comprar tabaco a la tienda = I am going to buy cigarettes to the shop. (you leave your house; you go to the shop)Voy a comprar tabaco en Amazon = I am going to buy cigarettes in Amazon. (you are not moving from your chair; you are not going anywhere)Voy a cantar una canción a la calle = I am going to the street to sing a song (= motion)Voy a cantar una canción en la calle = I am going to sing a song in the street (= intention)

These two examples are really interesting, lazarus. Thanks.
I did not pay attention on the difference between motion and intention. I realized the difference after you gave me these examples. (of course still used my imagination) jejeje.
Is this situation only for "ir"? (be going to + verb = go to + verb) Are there any other words like "ir" en español?

Marco

Answer 10

Marco said:

Is this situation only for "ir"? (be going to + verb = go to + verb) Are there any other words like "ir" en español?

Marco

What do you really mean by "verbs like ir"? Do you mean synonyms of this verb? Or verbs that appear to change their meaning when they combine with other verbs and prepositions in a fixed structure'

Answer 11

Voy a comprar tabaco a la tienda = I am going to buy cigarettes to the shop.

Not to divert from your well-made point, but we can't say this in English. It has to be "I am going to the shop to buy cigarettes." That is, the rule is that the order has to be "going to {place} {in order to verb}."

I'm going to the pool to swim.
They're going to the office to pick up a file.
She is going to her mother's to help with dinner.

Now, a question. Can you switch the order in Spanish, or is it fixed? That is, you said:

Voy a comprar tabaco a la tienda.

But can we say this?

Voy a la tienda a comprar tabaco.

Or would it have to be this?

Voy a la tienda para comprar tabaco.

Answer 12

lazarus1907 said:

Marco said:

Is this situation only for "ir"? (be going to + verb = go to + verb) Are there any other words like "ir" en español? Marco

What do you really mean by "verbs like ir"? Do you mean synonyms of this verb? Or verbs that appear to change their meaning when they combine with other verbs and prepositions in a fixed structure?

Sorry, lazarus. I made myself confused. jeje
For other verbs, we use "be" - "ser" or "estar" + gerund verb form when we want to express inperfect tense, right? Por ejemplo, estoy aprendiendo - I am learning, but not use "aprendo" to express inperfect tense. Hopefully you would get what I am saying.
Would you have any good sentences for me to write to this girl whom I want to date? She is from Bolivia.
Actually others suggested that I'd better to say something to her, but I am shy and planning to get one greeting card, write something, then give it to her.

Thanks,

Marco

Answer 13

Leaving aside the grammatical issues, there are, of course, lots of other expressions that would convey sentiments similar to those of your topic sentence. For example:
No vamos a lograr nada si no hacemos un esfuerzo. -- We aren't going to accomplish anything if we don't make an effort.
Sin riesgo no se puede ganar nada. (this is my idea of a reasonable equivalent to) "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." (more literally) "without risk, one can't win/gain anything.

Lazarus' previous answers were directed more at the grammar issues raised by your questions but (if prompted) I'm sure that he could offer at least a dozen (approximately equivalent) expressions
without even "breaking a sweat". Furthermore, they are more likely to fall under the heading of "What might a real Spanish speaker say in this situation?

In any event, ¡buena suerte con la muchacha!

Answer 14

James said:

Now, a question. Can you switch the order in Spanish, or is it fixed? That is, you said: Voy a comprar tabaco a la tienda.

But can we say this?

Voy a la tienda a comprar tabaco.

Or would it have to be this?

Voy a la tienda para comprar tabaco.

They are all correct, but the ones with "a" are more common. Many verbs of motion take a complement with "a" to indicate the reason why you moved from place to another. Of course, "para" indicates the same thing.

Complements indicating time and space are some of the most flexible ones when it comes to placement in the sentence.

Answer 15

Marco said:

For other verbs, we use "be" - "ser" or "estar" + gerund verb form when we want to express inperfect tense, right? Por ejemplo, estoy aprendiendo - I am learning, but not use "aprendo" to express inperfect tense. Hopefully you would get what I am saying.

I am not completely sure what you mean, and I don't want to give you a very long explanation about something you don't want to hear neither. Could you elaborate a little bit more, but avoiding technical jargon, if possible?

Otherwise, if you want, I can give you a quick and short list of very common constructions similar in behaviour to "if a + inf.", where the meaning cannot be completely deduced just from the meaning of the verb.

Marco said:

Would you have any good sentences for me to write to this girl whom I want to date? She is from Bolivia. Actually others suggested that I'd better to say something to her, but I am shy and planning to get one greeting card, write something, then give it to her.

I can tell you how to say things, if you write them first in English, otherwise it wouldn't be you.