Being a know it all doesn't make you smart
1
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Being a know it all doesn't make you smart. I curious about the "make you" part which I have use "significa que" both times now to mean that, is there another way?
Ser sabelotodo no significa que eres listo. Sound about right? Gracias
1152 views
updated Oct 4, 2010
edited by jeezzle
posted by jeezzle
1 Answer
2
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"Ser un sabelotodo no significa que seas listo" is a bit more correct. As for "doesn't make you" being translated as "no significa", it's not too bad in this context. However in other contexts I'd translate it as "no te hace" or "no te convierte".
updated Oct 4, 2010
edited by bill1111
posted by bill1111
I'm confused on the use of subjunctive here, I don't see any doubt involved with the ideas...... so I don't understand subjunctive there. - jeezzle, Oct 3, 2010
Subjunctive isn't just about doubts or uncertainty, it is also used to express hypothetical ideas like this one. I'm afraid it's the kind of thing that you will only get used to after seeing it in different contexts. - bill1111, Oct 3, 2010
Another example: "si me atacas, no esperes salir con vida de esta". - bill1111, Oct 3, 2010
I thought I understood it long ago, but then some natives corrected me to not use it so often, when I am sure of somehting, like that my friend is stupid. I know for a fact he is, it's not hypothetical so that gives cause to my confusion. - jeezzle, Oct 3, 2010
Yes I didn't express my thoughts correctly. What makes it hypothetical, in a way, isn't the sentence itself. It's the negation of the verb "significa". If it were "significa" instead of "no significa", you wouldn't have to use subjunctive. - bill1111, Oct 4, 2010
