Having second thoughts!
What is the best way to say "I'm having second thoughts" and "Are you having second thoughts" in Spanish. Thanks in adavance.
7 Answers
GoldRush:
| Tengo un Collins grande Diccionario español. (Collins, séptima edición, 2003). [Ing>Span & Esp>Eng] | I have a large Collins Spanish Dictionary. (Collins, seventhth edition, 2003). [Ing>Span & Esp>Eng] |
| Mi diccionario ofrece estas sugerencias: | My dictionary offers these suggestions: |
| sin pensarlo dos veces = without a second thought | without a second thought = sin pensarlo dos veces |
| no volví a pensar en ello= I didn’t give it a second thought | I didn’t give it a second thought = no volví a pensar en ello |
| tener sus dudas (sobre algo/si hacer algo) = to have second thoughts (about something/about doing something) | to have second thoughts (about something/about doing something) = tener sus dudas (sobre algo/si hacer algo) |
| pensándolo bien = on second thought | on second thought = pensándolo bien |
| Espero que esto es una ayuda. | I hope this is a help. |
| Mejor recuerdos | Best regards |
| Moe | Moe |
Are you having second thoughts? / ¿Estás dudando?
I'm having second thoughts / Estoy dudando
One does not typically have any doubts about a simple question or a presentation.
I have my doubts about this assertion 
...when a coworker asks if I have any doubts about his presentation, what he is really asking is if I believe in him enough to believe that his data or idea are true rather than if I am not clear on a certain point.
Your own presentation brings to mind several doubts....
If I have a doubt about someones presentation, it does not necessarily imply that my doubt points towards the person's credibility/reputation. More often, the doubt (used as a noun) refers to a particular portion of the presentation/statement made by the person which (perhaps because it uses unsubstantiated figures or data) leads to a feeling of uncertainty regarding a given point which may in turn have a cascade effect on the remaining portions of the presentation (i.e. many doubts may stem from a single point of contention). In any event, these points of uncertainty can certainly be referred to as doubts.
Additionally, if a presentation takes several "leaps" in reasoning, these portions may lead to doubts about the validity about said portions (i.e. feelings of uncertainty based on flawed logic). For example, were I to assert that a particular flotation device was safe to use in the ocean or in class 5 rapids based on testing that was conducted in a bathtub or swimming pool or that the same flotation device was safe for people up to 250 lbs based on data extrapolated from testing of 200 gram samples of the substance (rather than actually testing the finished device), this methodology might bring to mind doubts about the validity of the claim. I might not necessarily think the claims untrue outright, but because of the flawed testing methods, there would definitely be enough uncertainty in my own my mind as to doubt the prudence in basing our company's reputation on such a poorly worked out claim. In this scenario my doubts would likely not be voiced as a question but as a statement: If I were you, I would not make claims regarding the safety of the product without further testing
Please take note that the spanish to english translation, "I have doubts" or "I am having a doubt", does not work.
To doubt something in english is to question the very validity of the idea or person. One can doubt the existence of God for example, or one can doubt that a product does what the infomercial says it does as you are questioning the basic structure of what is being claimed.
One does not typically have any doubts about a simple question or a presentation. I know it is not the intent but when a coworker asks if I have any doubts about his presentation, what he is really asking is if I believe in him enough to believe that his data or idea are true rather than if I am not clear on a certain point.
One should only ask if there are questions, not doubts.
Sorry, pet peeve of mine. I hear it all the time and it drives me nuts. 
Yup but you would never end a presentation or email by asking "Are there any questions or doubts?". It is only question as you should never ask for doubts. In this situation, which is what I run into most commonly, it sounds to me like the person is asking for personal mistrust issues to come up whether that be in data gathering abilities or a basic questioning of the person's competency.
In english, we just seem to avoid the word. Doubt seems to come up in very serious subjects (doubting God, I doubt what you say is true (I hear that one in politics)) or flippantly ("Is Kim going to show up?" eye roll "I doubt it.").
Second note: you don't pronounce the b.
PS Can you have "a doubt" in english? The only time I can think of that there is an a in front of doubt is in "without a doubt"? The phrase "a doubt" just sounds very foreign to my ears.
Tengo cambiar de idea. Not 100% sure.
Tengo una segunda idea u opinión. O tengo una mejor idea u opinión. Tienes una idea mejor? o Tienes otra idea?
