Spanish Conversation Help
Hello, I am doing a Spanish Conversation for my Spanish class and I was hoping I could get a little help with a few sentances.
1) For my opening I want to say 'Guess what?', and I think it is ¿Sabes que?' is this correct?
2) I have no idea how to translate "The United Kingdom association for the conservation of animals" - I took a guess; "La asociation de conservación de animales en el Reino Unido" but I really have no idea if I'm right.
3) I want to say "On the other hand"; I guessed "por otro lado"
4) My subjunctive needs to be perfect or else I will fail; I have two sentances where I have used the subjunctive. - "Yo quiero viajar, y si lo aceptaría, tenga la oportunidad viajar todo sobre el mundo" - "Y ahora, sienta pesaroso."
5) This is some conditional that I don't think makes sense, I'm trying to ask "If you were me, what would you do?"; I said "Si me estaría, ¿que haría?"
Thank you so much for the time you took to read this, it would be very helpful if you could tell me why I'm wrong when you correct me. Thank you. ^^
5 Answers
1) I don't think ¿Sabes qué? it's inappropiate. The only thing I would point out is that the rest of the things you asked made me thing you're using the formal estructures. If so, then you should say ¿Sabe qué? or just ¿Sabe? (the informal: ¿Sabes qué? and ¿Sabes?). By the way, nice opening.
2) It sound as it was real, so that fine.
3) I'd say por otro lado is correct. The options offered by qfreed are also good, except "por el otro lado" (that can be said, but applied to phisical object) and the last one "a contrario sensu" I've never heard that)
4) and 5) qfreed's corrections sounds fine, but I don't know if a bot more context about point #4 could make us be sure. In #5 ¿Si (usted) fuera yo, qué haría?
The kind where you use the conditional (If I were to win the lottery) then subjunctive (I would go to Japan)
I think it's the other way round, I mean If I were to win the lottery ("si ganase la lotería", subjuctive), I would go to Japan ("iría a Japón", conditional). Is that what you meant? Did I misunderstood?
primero....¿Sabes qué? In children's lingo that is "Ya know what?"
segundo....That sounds like a business name and not all business names should be translated but used in there native language. If their company has a translated name then you can use it. A company name has legal status.
tercero...
por otra parte, por el contrario, en cambio, en segundo lugar, por el otro lado, a contrario sensu
quarto...
"Yo quiero viajar, y si lo aceptaría, tenga la oportunidad viajar todo sobre el mundo"
Yo quiero viajar; y si lo acepto, tendré la oportunidad viajar alrededor del mundo.
Si Present, Future
The si + present tense, future tense construction is used for events that will occur (in the future) if the condition is met (in the present).
- Si tengo tiempo, yo lo haré - If I have time, I will do it.
Yo lo haré si tengo tiempo - I will do it if I have time.
Si estudias, serás inteligente - If you study, you will be smart.
- Serás inteligente si estudias - You will be smart if you study.
The rest of the article on if clauses (1st conditional...likely situation) if you wish to read it. The subjunctive is for unlikely and contrary-to-fact conditions.
"Y ahora, sienta pesaroso."
I see no reason for the subjunctive mood here. 90% of the time the subjunctive verb will be in a subordinate clause or be an exhortation, command, etc.
quinto...¿Si usted hubiera sido yo, qué habría hecho? (impossible-you cannot be me)
¿Si usted fuera yo, qué haría? (unlikely situation, contrary-to-fact)
Not sure which of the above is applicable for this context. Ask a native. I'm guessing that that you could use the unlikely situation. It is contrary to fact, but would be real if the situation were true.
"Y ahora, sienta pesaroso."
Just checking - as you are female according to your profile, should that be 'pesarosa'?
For number 5) the whole context is; "I had a friend who had the opportunity to attend an art school, however it was in another country and she didn't want to move away from her family. But now, she regrets it." I don't really know if she regrets it, its just my opinion/idea. Does that mean it would be subjuntive?
Thank you both, you have been a huge help ^^
Thank you so much for answering my question ^^
For the second point - It isn't a real organization, I made it up for the purpose of the conversation. ^_^
For the fourth point, we use those kind of examples all the time in class. The kind where you use the conditional (If I were to win the lottery) then subjunctive (I would go to Japan). Is that right? I'm so scared that I have it all wrong. =(
I thought that part would be subjuntive because I'm trying to say "and now, she feels regret" and I'm not sure if she really does, and doesn't subjunctive deal with doubt and uncertanty?
Again, thank you so much, you have been a huge help. ^_^
