Core of Things

Question

I can go to a translation machine and ask this and actually I did. And it says:

It didn't go to the core of things.

No fue al nucleo de las cosas. No fue de la esencia de las cosas.

So which one of these is what is literally and acceptably meant to be an exact English match?

Thank you.

Answer 1

It could depend on the context:

Porque podria ser: no fue hasta el hueso (del asunto) or other similar expressions related to the specific situation.

No fue de la esencia is incorrect. Maybe no llegó a la esencia de las cosas.

so, can you provide context to give an idiomatic equivalent?

Algo así: It was upsetting that the no solution came up because it didn't go to the core of things. - babalou, Nov 11, 2010

Answer 2

I think nucleo is more literal. I am used to saying in English, "I didn't get to the root of the matter," though that is more idiomatic. Or sometimes we say "the heart of the matter." In that case, the second sentence would be a more accurate translation ... I think.