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"I will have my translator call you back."

"I will have my translator call you back."

1
vote

I commonly have to say, "I will have my translator call you back."

Which of the following should I use or should I say it some other way?

Voy a tener mi traductor le devuelva la llamada. Tengo mi traductor le devolver la llamada.

I hope one day I can understand people so I don't have to use either! red face

Rachel

26960 views
updated SEP 1, 2009
edited by 00494d19
posted by RachelC

11 Answers

0
votes

Dentro de poco mi traductor va a darle un toque.

jeje, this might not b e understood everywhere though .

"voy a hacer que..." which is what Heidita wrote. The direct equivalent "I am going to make my translator call you back" sounds too forceful and so doesn't mean quite the same thing.

Hi Robert, this is not the correct interpretation in this context. This use is more like:

I will see to it that his happens....

It is not forceful and does mean the same thing.

By the way, I have voted for Valerie as she was the only one noticing that the translator might be a woman! Of course!

You have to say then:

Voy a pedirle a mi traductora que le llame/que le devuelva la llamada.

Or simply, which would b e more common:

Mi traductor/a va a devolverle la llamada tan pronto como sea posible. I think this is a good choice especially for American countries.

You don't really have to ask your translator ....you tell him to phone I guess.

updated SEP 1, 2009
posted by 00494d19
Thanks all. I'm glad to have both ways as I have both a man and a woman. - RachelC, SEP 1, 2009
1
vote

Is this right?

Voy a pedirle a mi traductor le devuelva la llamada.

Should this maybe be: "Voy a pedirle a mi traductor que le devuelva la llamada." (By the way... if your translator happens to be female, you'll want to say "traductora") wink

updated SEP 1, 2009
posted by Valerie
I don't understand what "que" means here? - RachelC, AGO 31, 2009
rachel: que is the equivalent to "that" which is ommitted in English, I will tell him that he .....I know the structure in English is diffrent. - 00494d19, SEP 1, 2009
good one vala on the feminine! - 00494d19, SEP 1, 2009
0
votes

delete please

updated SEP 1, 2009
edited by webdunce
posted by webdunce
0
votes

Voy a hacer que le devuelva la llamada mi traductor.

Voy a decirle a mi traductor.....

Voy a pedirle a ....

Rachel, look at the change of title, next time I am deleting. Old members should know by now... wink

updated SEP 1, 2009
posted by 00494d19
I'm an old member..sort of...but it makes me wonder what she did wrong to begin with? My guess would be a mispelling? - Goyo, AGO 31, 2009
Greg, wrong title. - 00494d19, SEP 1, 2009
0
votes

I meant that "I am going to make ..." is too forceful in English which is why we use "I am going to have...". I am not a native Spanish speaker but I think "voy a hacer que.." would represent an accurate translation because it carries the same tone as "I am going to have...".

updated AGO 31, 2009
posted by Robert-Austin
Ah, ok. Thanks - RachelC, AGO 31, 2009
0
votes

Thanks all.

Sometimes things translate literally, word for word and other times, something that seems simple like this, doesn't translate.

The people have understood what I meant but must have had a laugh when they hung up.

And Heidita, sorry about the title...Now I know.

Voy a hacer que le devuelva la llamada mi traductor.

So is that the one to use or is it too forceful as Robert suggested?

Is this right?

Voy a pedirle a mi traductor le devuelva la llamada.

If it means: "I will ask my translator to call you back" - then that would be good if correct.

Rachel

updated AGO 31, 2009
edited by RachelC
posted by RachelC
0
votes

"I will have my translator call you back"

This structure has no direct equivalent in Spanish and doesn't seem to follow any logical grammatical idea. The idea of having someone do something for you would only really be understood in Spanish as "voy a hacer que..." which is what Heidita wrote. The direct equivalent "I am going to make my translator call you back" sounds too forceful and so doesn't mean quite the same thing.

updated AGO 31, 2009
posted by Robert-Austin
0
votes

I know this isn´t exactly what she is asking but would this be understood

Dentro de poco mi traductor le llamará a usted.

Or using one of Heidi´s colloquialism´s would the following be understood

Dentro de poco mi traductor va a darle un toque.

updated AGO 31, 2009
posted by Eddy
0
votes

I am not sure but I think you should try heidita's grin

updated AGO 31, 2009
posted by loves2learn987
0
votes

Tengo mi traductor le devolver la llamada.

This will be hardly understood, I'm afraid, but it is good that you tried.

Voy a tener mi traductor devolverle la llamada.

Same thing here: you are having a translator, as if you are having a headache, or you own a house, and suddenly, a verb kicks in without a warning (devolverle...). This common structure in English has no parallel in Spanish. Check Heidi's suggestions.

updated AGO 31, 2009
posted by lazarus1907
0
votes

I'm not really sure how I would say it. Here is my attempt:

Voy a tener mi traductor devolverle la llamada.

updated AGO 31, 2009
posted by Nathaniel
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