How could a mouse ever help a lion?

Question

How do you translate "ever" in this sentence? Should it just disappear in the translation?

How could a mouse ever help a lion?

¿Cómo podría un ratón ayudarle a un león alguna vez?

"Alguna vez" sounds odd to me.

¿Cómo podría un ratón ayudarle a un león nunca?

"Nunca" sounds even odder. :(

Is either one of them correct?

Thanks.

Ok no comment below but - E V E R as a word does not exist in Spanish. - ian-hill, MAY 21, 2010

It is the positive of the word "never" - ian-hill, MAY 21, 2010

Answer 1

¿Como iba un ratón jamás ayudar a un león? Ok, I just had to have another crack at it.... Somebody? How bad is it?

Answer 2

I'm happy with Gekko's version. He's the native pro after all --- but

If you really want something different, you could try"

¿Cómo podría un ratón ayudarle en cualquier momento a un león?

OK, now I'm saying "at any time" but is this seriously different from "ever" in this context.

I'm a native too geofc :)... and believe it's not correct :) - Benz, MAY 20, 2010

Are Benz and Gekko from different countries? - Chavag, MAY 21, 2010

Yes. Benz is from the "wrong" side of the tracks. :-p Just kidding!!! :-D - Gekkosan, MAY 21, 2010

The only wrong side of the tracks is being between the rails as the train comes through! - LateToDinner, MAY 21, 2010

Hah-hah-hah-hah! I love that! What a great comeback! - Gekkosan, MAY 21, 2010

Answer 3

Hmm, different ways to look at it I guess. I know that whenever I use the word -ever- in this sense, I use it in the sense that I know that the stated situation will almost never happen and want to know in what crazy scenario could it actually be possible.

Let´s look at this sentence:

-How could YOU ever help ME?

I would say that when I know that I would never need that person´s help and want to know in what warped up reality or dimension would I ever need that person´s help?? So that´s why I stick with my -En qué circunstancia..- translation.

-Charlius-

Answer 4

jamas

Answer 5

I wouldn't use "nunca", I'm sure it means "never".

Answer 6

Alba, your first option doesn't sound that odd .

You can also say: ¿Cómo podría un ratón alguna vez ayudar a un león?