¿Alcanzo con mis amigos o alcanzo a mis amigos?

Question

¿Alcanzo con mis amigos o alcanzo a mis amigos?
Do you say: I catch up 'con' friends or 'a' friends, in Spanish?
Thanks!

Answer 1

Do you know what a disjunctive fallacy is? It's when you're told that something must be either black or white. They leave out the options of shades of gray or some other color entirely.

You're asking whether in Spanish it's to catch up to (alcanzo a) or to catch up with? (alcanzo con)

I say that it's neither: I think you can say alcanzar+noun using neither a nor con.

alconcé mi meta

In you're specific example, however, it may be alcanzo a because the direct objects of the verb are people. Just realize why it catch up to in this case and don't think that it always will be so.

To say it another way you are translating alconzar as to catch up. So in English we say to catch up to or with, but alconzar can also be translated as to reach or achieve so there it's clear that a con or a is not used. If I tranlated it as I overtook my friends or reached my friends then we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Answer 2

Sorry, my editting time expired.

Just let me add that the Spanish form of the verb or whatever preposition that you feel it might require cannot be dictated by which English verb that you choose to translate it as.

Answer 3

By "catch up with", I assume that you mean to obtain up-to-date information about them (their latest news), to become current with the events in their lives. If that is the case, I don't think that "alcanzar" is the appropriate word at all. Perhaps "ponerme al corriente con ellos" or something like that.

Answer 4

Wow, thanks.
So I'd say: Me pongo al corriente con mis amigos en los recreos. (I catch up with my friends in breaks)
Spanish is totally confusing me at present because I've had three different teachers for my GCSE. Agh!

Answer 5

Beckabee said:

Spanish is totally confusing me at present because I've had three different teachers for my GCSE. Agh!

It is not Spanish what it confusing you, but the fact that people forget that words have different meanings, and each one is likely to be translated as a different word, and often more than one, depending on the context.

Catch up can mean:

1) reach the same level as others, like in "catch up with own's lessons".
2) reach someone who was moving faster than you (e.g. a car, a runner)
3) find yourself in an unpleasant situation (e.g. a traffic jam, a fight)
4) get up to date with the latest news
5) finish things you didn't have time to do before
6) recover from something that hasn't been done before
7) capture someone who has been doing something illegal
8) face something bad you have done before

There is no verb in Spanish that can convey all those meanings at the same time. That's why you are getting contradictory answers: each one is translating "catch up" with a different meaning and context in mind.

Give us a more detailed explanation of what you mean to say, and in what context, and you'll begin to get more consistent answers.

Answer 6

Righty ho.
Well I'm writing my speaking presentation on my daily routine. I want to say that in my breaks I catch up with my friends. Probably best meeting point 6 on your list.
Is that any less ambiguous than what I've already said?
And the whole being confused thing was just a passing comment. Of course I understand that you can't translate literally as the English language has so many double meanings etc. etc. but thank you so much for the reminder.
How can catch up mean point 3) 'find yourself in an unpleasant situation (e.g. a traffic jam, a fight)' ? I catch up in a traffic jam, how does that make sense? Also points 7 and 8, I wouldn't use 'catch up'.

In fact... ignore all that pointless stuff. How do I say what I've asked'''?
Thank you

Answer 7

it is point 4 on lazarus' list. me réuno con mis amigos durante los recréos.

Disclaimer, dont take my word on the accents position. To tell you the truth, I am going to have to memorize the accents rules, better yet, I should try to undertand them once and for all.

kquote cite="http://my.spanishdict.com/forum/topic/show'id=1710195%3ATopic%3A534800#1710195Comment535933]Righty ho.Well I'm writing my speaking presentation on my daily routine. I want to say that in my breaks I catch up with my friends. Probably best meeting point 6 on your list.Is that any less ambiguous than what I've already said'And the whole being confused thing was just a passing comment. Of course I understand that you can't translate literally as the English language has so many double meanings etc. etc. but thank you so much for the reminder.How can catch up mean point 3) 'find yourself in an unpleasant situation (e.g. a traffic jam, a fight)' ? I catch up in a traffic jam, how does that make sense? Also points 7 and 8, I wouldn't use 'catch up'.In fact... ignore all that pointless stuff. How do I say what I've asked''''Thank you

Answer 8

Brill, you're a star

Answer 9

Beckabee said:

How can catch up mean point 3) 'find yourself in an unpleasant situation (e.g. a traffic jam, a fight)' ? I catch up in a traffic jam, how does that make sense? Also points 7 and 8, I wouldn't use 'catch up'.

3 - He was late for the meeting because he got caught up in the rush-hour traffic. (Probably more common without the "up" but possible either way).

7 - He had almost made it to the border when the police caught up with him.

8 - His past caught up with him.

The suggestion that I made before would fit with #4.
Still not sure which one you mean.

Answer 10

Woh woh... this is way too confuzzling... 'samdie' and 'gus' have both made suggestions that seem plausible. Are they both correct?

Oops yea. I meant no. 4... typo. Soz.

Answer 11

Sorry, I thought that it was obious. here is what I meant to say

it is point 4 on lazarus' list. me réuno con mis amigos durante los recréos.

is only natural that if you get togehter with your friends( me réuno con mis amigos)
that y'all will talk about the latest things that are happening in your and your friends life that is why # 4 on lazarus list makes sense. So the whole thing woul be, durante los recreos me reuno con mis amigos y platicamos de las ultinmas noticias en nuestras vidas.

But, to make it easier just say ,
me reuno con mis amigos durante los recreos if you want your readers to pay more attention to the fact that you get together with your friends However, if it is more important, that your readers pay more attention to when you get together with your friends, well then write durante los recreos me reuno con mis amigos . You can say this in many other ways, but the easier is me reuno con mis ,,,,,,,bla,bla, bla eg. nos juntamos...bla,bla bla, nos miramos ...bla.bla bla. there are a bunch of ways to express ideas. Pllease dont give uo... keep on trucking as we old guys used to say in the 70's

And, please dont forget about my disclaimer.

Answer 12

okey dokey

Answer 13

another point f confusion is that the word that you use,alcansar means to reach

so people are getting confuse because of that word. However you made it clear when you wrote I want to say that in my breaks I catch up with my friends. And you added to the confusion when you listed # 6 of lazarus list.
6) recover from something that hasn't been done before. which has nothing to do with what you were trying to say.

Answer 14

Gus said:

another point f confusion is that the word that you use,alcansar means to reach so people are getting confuse because of that word. However you made it clear when you wrote I want to say that in my breaks I catch up with my friends. And you added to the confusion when you listed # 6 of lazarus list.

6) recover from something that hasn't been done before. which has nothing to do with what you were trying to say.

It's good that the original question was answered but I'd still point out that "in my breaks I catch up with my friends" could also mean that "during my breaks I do extra studying in order to catch up with my friends (because, for example, I missed two weeks of school when I was sick and fell behind)." In other words #1.

Answer 15

I agree with what Samdie has said, but my translation would be slightly different from his. Just another option.

Me pongo al día con mis amigos.