Me he estado....

Question

I am trying to say "I have been teaching myself Spanish for four months" in Spanish. My guess would be: Me he estado enseñando español durante cuatro meses, but I'm not sure if I am getting it correctly. When I type this into the translator (google) I get "I have been teaching Spanish for four months" (without the "myself"). I am still struggling a little with both reflexive verbs and the perfect tenses, nevertheless I still think I got this one correct. Is the translator wrong or am I? Gracias por la ayuda.

This is a good question!! :) - Benz, Jul 9, 2010

Answer 1

He estado estudiando Español por mi cuenta durante los últimos 4 meses

Thank you for your help Benz. - Jsanthara, Jul 9, 2010

Answer 2

Benz is a native Spanish speaker, so you should listen to her. I would say it the same way but with one additional word, but only because this is how it would be said in Mexico:

He estado estudiando Español por mi propia cuenta durante los últimos 4 meses

Also said in Argentina Julian... Thanks Julian! :) - Benz, Jul 9, 2010

It's not that I'm trying to argue, just get the full facts because I have learned "por mi mismo" and if I need to unlearn it, I want to know the full reasons about if, why, what, when, etc... It's not enough to just accept without updating the facts compl - jeezzle, Jul 9, 2010

Additionally, I feel that my answer is quite good and certainly deserves votes as it might not be "argentinian" but I know the Mexicans at work use it that way and it is certainly not wrong even if it is less right than hers. - jeezzle, Jul 9, 2010

It bothers me to no end that the learners don't get voted up as often as the natives when they have to try twice as hard to get their answers to confirm to the exact specs of what is required gramatically etc... - jeezzle, Jul 9, 2010

Seems like an "a mi mismo" could work, too - DonK, Jul 9, 2010

Jeezzle, I think the confusion might be with "Yo mismo," ie, "Yo mismo me lo hago."......."I will do it myself." But in this case, "Mismo" simply does not work. Sorry, I can't explain why - 005faa61, Jul 9, 2010

Answer 3

How about He estado estudiando español por mí mismo desde hace cuatro meses

By myself = por mí mismo. Myself = a mí mismo.

"Por mi mismo" doesn't sound good Jeezz. It's better "por mi cuenta" :) - Benz, Jul 9, 2010

Are you sure? There are nearly 3 million hits for it and here it is on our site: http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/102192/how-would-i-say-by-myself-in-spanish-is-it-por-mi-mismo - jeezzle, Jul 9, 2010

Here it is in our dictionary: http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/mismo - jeezzle, Jul 9, 2010

por mí/ti mismo, -a -> by myself/yourself - jeezzle, Jul 9, 2010

Nevertheless, I have added "por mi cuenta" to my notes as an alternate to "por mi mismo" Gracias. - jeezzle, Jul 9, 2010

That's my opinion as a native. A native would say it that way, at least in Argentina :) - Benz, Jul 9, 2010

You seem quite commited. - fontanero, Jul 10, 2010

Answer 4

Don't forget that most of the translators only "swap" words, so they can have the wrong tenses, conjugations and even the wrong order.

Good point! - 005faa61, Jul 9, 2010

Answer 5

Take this example

Last night I went to the cinema by myself.

Anoche fui al cine sola or Anoche fui sola al cine

In this case, "by myself" is not translated as "por mi misma"... It sounds really weird. It always depends on the context

Answer 6

He estado aprendido español por mi cuenta por cuatro meses