La Palabra del Día : la chapa(2)

Question

la chapa - (noun) lock, door handle, plate, sheet, board, panel

Post your sentences in Spanish and English, then vote for the ones you like. The best answer will be chosen tomorrow on the basis of the greatest number of votes and language correctness.

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And don't forget to correct your posts as suggested. Do NOT use subject pronouns!

No hay chapa en la puerta de mi cocina

There is no lock on my kitchen door.

p.s. Kindly check this thread for the other meaning of 'la chapa'

"on my kitchen door" - ray76, Dec 28, 2010

Great Vaanz. - ray76, Dec 28, 2010

'chapa' isn't used as 'lock' in my country, so I'm afraid I can't make valid comments about its use in this type of sentences. - bill1111, Dec 28, 2010

.. however, 'en mi puerta de cocina' doesn't conform to Spanish grammar. That would be: 'en la puerta de mi cocina' - bill1111, Dec 28, 2010

I also had to look that up bill, no idea, but this is what the bible says: 10. f. cerradura (‖ mecanismo para cerrar). U. m. en América., so it seems to be valid, strange use for us, vaanz:) - 00494d19, Dec 28, 2010

Thanks Bill.. - Vaanz, Dec 28, 2010

This word is a repeated one Heidi and with a different meaning. I have mentioned the link for the previous thread. - Vaanz, Dec 28, 2010

Answer 1

Oración: la llave del día y la chapa de la noche.
( Prayer: the key of the day and the lock of the night. )

waiting for corrections ..!

'key' can be translated as 'clave' in many contexts, but when you talk about a metal key, even as a metaphor like in this case, you need 'llave' - bill1111, Dec 28, 2010

Gracias Bill! - sv2qp, Dec 28, 2010

So true. voting. - Echoline, Dec 28, 2010

Answer 2

Lleva la cazadora llena de chapas.

He wears a jacket covered in badges.

Chapas

Very good, Sally :) - cogumela, Dec 28, 2010

Answer 3

You can learn a lot about a person by reading their license plate.

Se puede aprender mucho de una persona leyendo la chapa de su matrícula.

When a gerund is used as a noun, you can translate it as an infinitive ('Reading is fun' > 'Leer es divertido'). However, 'by + gerund' is translated as a Spanish gerund: 'leyendo..' - bill1111, Dec 28, 2010

Also, just as 'mi puerta de cocina' is really 'la puerta de mi cocina', 'su chapa de la matrícula' should be 'la chapa/placa de su matrícula'. - bill1111, Dec 28, 2010

Thanks again, Billstpor! - pesta, Dec 28, 2010

Pesta, "por" shouldn't be in the Spanish sentence. By reading= leyendo. - cogumela, Dec 28, 2010

Ooops! Thanks cogu - I will get it right one of these days! - pesta, Dec 28, 2010

Answer 4

La chapa de su puerta está cerrada para su protección.

Abra la puerta de su corazón para el amor.

The lock on your door is locked for protection.

Open the door to your heart for love.

Beautiful, Ray... - luz_72, Dec 28, 2010

'de su corazón', to keep the use of 'usted' consistent throughout the sentence. - bill1111, Dec 28, 2010

Thank you Bill, nearly nailed it , but ?? - ray76, Dec 29, 2010

Answer 5

Los guardabarros son de chapa metalica.

The fenders are sheet metal.

metálica corrected

'are sheet metal' is an abbreviation of 'are made of sheet metal', but in Spanish you can't make that abbreviation. You can say either 'son de chapa metálica' or 'están hechos de chapa metálica' (you can't say 'están de chapa..' though) - bill1111, Dec 28, 2010

Gracias, Billstpor ;) - Brynleigh, Dec 28, 2010

Answer 6

Do such small doors need locks?

¿Necesitan estas pequeño puertas una chapas?

I can imagine my kids asking exactly that question when they were little. - galsally, Dec 28, 2010

Nope, you can't translate word for word, this doesn't mean anything I'm afraid. '¿Necesitan estas pequeñas puertas una *chapa*? - bill1111, Dec 28, 2010

Answer 7

Algunas personas realmente quieren la seguridad integrada en su chapa!

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Some people really want protection built into their door handle!

Well.. rather than 'protection', the usual Spanish word employed here is 'la seguridad'. 'Protección' is usually related to safety features, gear, etc.. rather than security related. - bill1111, Dec 28, 2010

Gracias Billstpor. - Rolest, Dec 28, 2010

Answer 8

El frío agarre de la chapa de la puerta del dormitorio de mi nuevo novio me hizo cuestionarme si sus intenciones eran sinceras.

The cold grasp on the handle of my new boyfriend's bedroom door made me question whether or not his intentions were sincere.

When 'frío' means 'lacking emotion', it's usually put in front of the noun: 'El frío agarre..'. The correct preposition would be 'de', in spite of the jarring repetion of 'de's: 'de la chapa de la puerta del dormitorio de mi..' - bill1111, Dec 28, 2010

Also: 'me hizo cuestionarme/preguntarme' ('question' in this sentence is a verb, so you can't translate it with a noun'). Finally, that 'de si' should be just 'si' - bill1111, Dec 28, 2010

Thank you so much, Bill. - Echoline, Dec 28, 2010

Answer 9

He puesto una chapa lisa y perforada como portón del patio.

I have put a smooth and perforated sheet of metal as a door to the yard.

I think it should be without article...como portón del patio. Hi, Joe! Interesting thread today :) - cogumela, Dec 28, 2010

'como portón' or 'como puerta' in this context, without article. If you use the article, it sounds almost as if you were making a comparison, eg: 'Tengo un perro como un caballo de grande' (my dog is as big as a horse) - bill1111, Dec 28, 2010

Buildings have doors, yards and gardens have gates. - Sabor, Dec 28, 2010

Answer 10

La chapa de la gente violenta es su arma, lanza, espada o su rifle. Dios es el escudo de la gente pacífica.

The badge of the violent is his weapon, spear, sword or rifle. God is the shield of the non-violent.

Answer 11

Me primo trabaja en un taller de chapa y pintura.

My cousin works in a paint and body shop.

'Mi primo..' - bill1111, Dec 28, 2010

Answer 12

This plate is loose. éste chapa está suelta

'Esta chapa está suelta'. 'Este la' would be like saying 'This the', with a gender mismatch. Also, to say that something 'is' loose/tight/nailed/screwed/hanging etc.. you use 'estar'. - bill1111, Dec 28, 2010

thanks Bill.. - jennyo45, Dec 28, 2010

Answer 13

Nuestros vecinos tienen un galpón de chapa donde meten su cortadora de césped.

Our neighbors have a metal shed where they put their lawn mower.

'poner' is simply 'meh' in this context. More common verbs are 'meter' and 'dejar'. - bill1111, Dec 28, 2010

Gracias, Billstpor. - sanlee, Dec 28, 2010

Answer 14

Creo que la expresión "dar la chapa" se aplica (en España) a una situación en la que una persona te aburre con su conversación ...¿Alguien puede confirmarlo, por favor?

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I think that the expression "dar la chapa" is used (in Spain) in a situation where some person bores you with his/her conversation ...Can someone confirm this, please?

Yes, you are right, Luz :) - cogumela, Dec 28, 2010

¿Alguien puede confirmarlo? :) The rest is perfect. - cogumela, Dec 28, 2010

Gracias, Cogu:) - luz_72, Dec 28, 2010

Answer 15

Idiotboy pic is really like idiot )