El ver en vivo y directo la pobreza, los indígenas y la enfermedad los hace reflexionar sobre sus frutas vidas.

Question

I'm unsure on how to translate the start of this sentance - yes it is homework/studying - I would really appreciate your help

El ver en vivo y directo la pobreza, los indígenas y la enfermedad los hace reflexionar sobre sus futuras vidas.

The bits I'm struggling with I have put in italics; My attempts;

The view of life.... ? To reflect on... ?

I would really appreciate any help. Thanks in advance.

NB; I have used the translator, which is where I got part of my ideas from, but still unsure on an exact translation.

Edited again due to me being a silly cookie and typing frutas instead of futuras, lol! XD - Sammy16093, NOV 15, 2009

Answer 1

To honor Heidita's request...

sobre sus futuras vidas = about their future

Literally, it means "about their future lives," but this sounds like a reference to Hindu-type belief, which I don't think was the author's intent.

Answer 2

Here's my attempt, and I doubt I've quite got it...

To see for oneself the poor, the natives, the sick causes one to consider the fruits of one's own life.

Like it's saying, "Have I done anything worthwhile in light of the fact that there is so much suffering in the world, or have I been shallow and served only myself."

Something along those lines I'm thinking.

But, man, if Heidita can't quite figure it out, who can?

This was before we knew frutas was really futuras :-) - webdunce, NOV 15, 2009

Hehe yeah I figured! XD Well, can't be all bad. Got some people thinking, eh!? :P - Sammy16093, NOV 15, 2009

geeez, you almost got it web with the mistake and all, woderful!! - 00494d19, NOV 15, 2009

Answer 3

Hmm, I can't really give you a paragraph from what it's from. It's in my vocabulary booklet for school, studying a Film called "The Motorcycle Diaries" and it's a sentence from that.

And haha, I just realized Heidita, I did spell it incorrectly, it's meant to be 'sobre sus futuras vidas' I guess doing all this homework got to my eyes! Sorry about that hehe.

Well, that certainly changes things. - webdunce, NOV 15, 2009

I believe sobre sus futuras vidas = about their future - webdunce, NOV 15, 2009

By the way, "sus futuras vidas" literally means "their future lives," but in English that would be about some bhuddist-like belief which I don't think was the intent. - webdunce, NOV 15, 2009

you are again right,. web, post that in messages!! - 00494d19, NOV 15, 2009

Answer 4

HI sammy, there must be a mistake here:

sus frutas vidas.

Did you copy that correctly?

El ver en vivo y directo la pobreza,

Your attempt is in view of life....hmmm

to see poverty in real life,,,,in view of life...I don't know if the last part can be said in English, I am not familiar with this sentence.

Answer 5

Can you give me a little more context? What is it you are reading? Maybe a slice of the paragraph this sentence is from.