We can go now

Question

A little context:

This evening while I was going to the store, I came to a cross street where I had to wait for the oncoming traffic to pass before I could continue on my way. Once all of the traffic had passed, my 4-yr old chimed in with, "OK, we can go now daddy!"

I was thinking about how this might be said in Spanish, and my first thought was to use the verb "ir" by saying something like: "ahora podemos ir." As I thought about it more, I started second guessing myself as to if it could be said this way because usually when you use "ir" it is necessary to say where you are going, so I tried other possibilities and this is what I came up with along with what I thought about them or how they might translate:

"podemos continuar" (we can continue)

"podemos irnos" (wasn't sure if this would be taken to mean "we can leave")

"podemos seguir" (we can resume/continue)

"podemos avanzar" (we can go/move forward/advance)

"podemos proseguir" (we can go on/continue/proceed)

"podemos ir adelante" (we can go forward/ahead)

I was hoping that somebody might be able to share their understanding of this with me and see what they think might be the best way to say this (in the same spirit of how it was originally used by my 4-yr old). If you read all the way to the bottom of this, but don't have an answer then thank you for taking the time to read it, and if you do have an answer then I thank you doubly.

Answer 1

Moe, that would be vámonos

Izan, good one with:

vámonos

ya podemos

ya podemos cruzar

We actually would not use a verb here, we would most idiomatically just say:

¡Ya podemos!

Thanks, Heidita. I will Edit my entry to correct this. Como siempre, - Moe, Oct 30, 2009

Answer 2

"podemos continuar" (we can continue)-not really, continuar con andar es raro

"podemos irnos" (wasn't sure if this would be taken to mean "we can leave")----pues sí, esto es

"podemos seguir" (we can resume/continue)-esto se puede decir

"podemos avanzar" (we can go/move forward/advance)-------avanzar a dónde? no es lo normal

"podemos proseguir" (we can go on/continue/proceed)-nooooo

"podemos ir adelante" (we can go forward/ahead)------------we can continue with the project

Thanks so much Heidita...helpful as always - Izanoni1, Oct 30, 2009

so what does podemos irnos al cine mean then? We can leave the movies? - jeezzle, Oct 30, 2009

Answer 3

¡Hola!, Izanoni:

Are you overthinking this problem? After introducing each of her lessons, our favourite teacher, Paralee Whitmire just jays, "¡Vámonos!" or "Let's go."

How about, "O.K., ¡Vámonos! [chica, o, nombre]"

Let's Go!

Moes gotta good point. I can picture that in my head. - cheeseisyummy, Oct 29, 2009

Thanks Moe (and yes, I'm sure that I am overthinking this like always). My only problem with this one was that it is like a command, and my son is very polite and respectful and doesn't say "let's go" as if it were an order (direct or indirect) - Izanoni1, Oct 29, 2009

Instead it was said more as an observation or a statement of fact, like the coast is clear and its safe for you to go now if you want to, daddy. I thought that ¡vámanos! might be a little harsher than the spirit in which he said it. - Izanoni1, Oct 29, 2009

Like you said...I am probably overthinking things. - Izanoni1, Oct 29, 2009

I hear you, Dad. But, if you look at him with a trusting smiling happy face and say happily "O.K., ¡Váyamos!" he's never going to identify with it as an "order" style imperative. Just dad & son stuff. I wish you could hear what I mean. - Moe, Oct 29, 2009

I know what you mean...the written word is sometimes inadequate to fully convey real-life situations - Izanoni1, Oct 29, 2009

Answer 4

My money's on "Podemos irnos" kiddo.

Thank you Jeezle, I was leaning more towards one of these three ("irnos," "ir adelante," and "seguir" ) - Izanoni1, Oct 29, 2009

sorry, jeez, you lost - 00494d19, Oct 30, 2009

Answer 5

I've always been told "cruzar" is the verb to use when 'crossing' the street. But in this context to keep with the original 4 year old spirit, I don't know if that would apply.

"Podemos cruzar ahora" ?

eh, I don't know, just throwing that out there...

Thanks Cheeseiisyumm...I had thought about that one as well, but had forgotten to list it. My problem with this was that it too is supposed to be used transitively (i.e "something" has to be crossed) "podemos cruzar la calle" - Izanoni1, Oct 29, 2009

...Which is to say "we can cross the street now." It didn't sit well with me for the same reason that "ir adelante" didn't. Thanks so much for the input (you get my vote). - Izanoni1, Oct 29, 2009

Yeah I don't know spanish well enough to keep in context with what your kid said. Most often what I try to say in spanish ends up getting 'dumbed down' from the original english that I'm thinking because of my limited vocab/knowledge - cheeseisyummy, Oct 29, 2009

I hear you on that - Izanoni1, Oct 29, 2009