whale extinction, please correct me.

Question

I have tried to translate what I want to say about endangered species and whales. Please correct my spanish.

Heres what I want to say. Unfortunately, whales are an endangered species. Especially, the whales that travel to antarctica. People are fishing for whales. They kill the whales and use the whales for different things. We can protect the whales by giving donations. Also, don't fish or eat whale.

Por desgracia, las ballenas son una especie en peligro de extinción. Especialmente, las ballenas que viajan a la Antártida. La personas les gusta pescar para ballenas. Ellos matan a las ballenas y el uso de las ballenas de diferentes cosas. Podemos proteger a las ballenas por medio de donar. Además, no comer pescado o ballena.

Whales are not one species. There are many species of whales - benweck, Dec 4, 2010

blue, humpback, fin, killer to name a few, yes. - rcmango, Dec 4, 2010

Answer 1

La personas les gusta pescar para ballenas.

A las personas....

Ellos matan a las ballenas y el usan de las ballenas para cosas diversas.

The personal "a" is used for animals that we have personal feelings for (pets) not animals in the wild.

Podemos proteger a las ballenas por medio de donar [dinero]. [donaciones]

What do you have against eating fish?

Thanks, I didn't know that about the "a", I'll remember that! ..fish is okay, just don't eat really expensive fish, like swordfish, and water mammals at that too! - rcmango, Dec 4, 2010

Answer 2

Hi there

You cannot write a sentence such as "Especially, the whales that travel to antarctica" in English because there is no main clause to it. I think the same rule applies as far as Spanish is concerned or any other Indo-European language for that matter. A way to remedy this would be to say something like the following:

"Unfortunately, whales are an endangered species, especially those travelling to Antarctica".

"People are fishing for whales, using whale meat for various purposes. We can protect whales by giving donations. Don't fish or eat whale, either".

(If they fish them, they obviously kill them...mentioning as much is not necessary)

Hope it helps with the Spanish translation,

Carole

Not always true. Spanish lets you start certain sentences with a conjunction (but, and) which is not allowed in English because it make it a clause not a sentence. - 0074b507, Dec 4, 2010