La Palabra del Día : el cimiento

Question

el cimiento - (noun) foundation; basis, origin

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!

Los cimientos deberían ser fuertes para un edificio

The foundation should be strong for a building.

Thank you Vaanz, this should be an interesting subject. - ray76, Jan 4, 2011

"Los cimientos deberían ser fuertes para un edificio" is the literal translation. "Los cimientos de un edificio han de ser fuertes" is how I'd say. Good word today, Vaanz! - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

After taking a look below, I have seen that almost everyone used "cimiento". The truth is that we use this word in plural the 99 percent of the time. - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

Thanks Laura. - Vaanz, Jan 4, 2011

Answer 1

Para construir su carácter, los niños han de tener unos buenos cimientos, basados en la honradez, la imparcialidad y en creer en Dios.

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To build character, children need to have a good foundation of honesty, fairness, and believe in God.

Amen! - Echoline, Jan 4, 2011

typo..children "need" - Echoline, Jan 4, 2011

Gracias Echoline for seeing my typo. - Rolest, Jan 4, 2011

honesty, fairness and belief in God. When making a series try to make the items all the same (nouns in this case) - 0074b507, Jan 4, 2011

estoy de acuerdo con Quentin :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 4, 2011

Para construir "su" carácter, los niños han de tener unos buenos cimientos, basados en la honradez, la imparcialidad y en creer en Dios (or "en la fe en Dios") Good, Rolest! - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

Gracias a todas! - Rolest, Jan 4, 2011

It's sad that you suggest that children cannot build character without believing in your god... - afowen, Jan 4, 2011

afowen--Are you suggesting that you don't believe in God? - Rolest, Jan 4, 2011

Hi Rolest, my understanding of the world aside, I'm just noting that it saddens me that you suggest that people cannot be of [good] character without subscribing to a specific (religious) philosophy :-) Alex - afowen, Jan 4, 2011

I said 'your god' are there are many distinct and mutually exclusive gods according to the followers of different beliefs, I didn't mean it negatively :-) - afowen, Jan 4, 2011

Yes, I meant “God” generically. The concept of a supreme being is generally accepted as an integral “characteristic” of a person who has “moral values”. For example, all US money has the words “In God We Trust” printed on them. - Rolest, Jan 4, 2011

In courts, people put one hand on the bible, raise their other, and then say “I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, so help me God”. In other cultures, the same idea is used to prove a person’s trusts and morality. A Buddhist would use “Buddha”. - Rolest, Jan 4, 2011

So, yes I do think, just as most societies do, that the idea of a supreme being should be made known to children. Here is a great link discussing the various religions, and the oaths they use-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath. - Rolest, Jan 4, 2011

But do we tell children of the idea that some people believe there is a supreme being and that there are others that do not, and that, when their powers of reasoning have developed they have the freedom to believe what they wish based on knowledge... - afowen, Jan 4, 2011

... and impartial input from all quarters? Or do we tell them what we believe is the truth? I'm sure that we all know people whose moral standards we might hold in awe who do not accredit these to any supernatural source. Female circumcision is a social.. - afowen, Jan 4, 2011

... norm in many countries, I don't think there are many, on this site at least, who would argue that its prevalence added any weight to its being right. One can chose, in the UK at least, to swear an oath that includes no mention of God... - afowen, Jan 4, 2011

What I am stressing is that the socially accepted principles and beliefs in the “majority” of countries include a belief in “God” in one form or another. - Rolest, Jan 4, 2011

How many countries do you know suggest agnosticism as being generally accepted moral conduct? - Rolest, Jan 4, 2011

Answer 2

Amigo falso .. en Grecia tenemos la palabra 'tsimento' que significa"hormigón". Para cimiento usamos la palabra 'themelio' [the-me-li-o]
False friend .. in Greece we have the word 'tsimento' having the meaning of the concrete. For the foundation we use the word 'themelio' [the-me-li-o]

..me ayuda si corrige mis errores. ¡Gracias!

I would call it a false friend in Engllish because it sounds more like cement than concrete. - 0074b507, Jan 4, 2011

Yes Quentin.. in Greece we use the same word for cement and concrete. :) - sv2qp, Jan 4, 2011

En Grecia "tenemos" .... que significa "hormigón" . Para "cimiento" usamos la ..... :). Also, we don't say "Amigo falso" for false friend. I can't think about a good translation for False Friend... Good Sks! - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

Thanks cogu.. ( Amigos Falsos - False Cognates ) .. I didn't find anything else.. :) - sv2qp, Jan 4, 2011

Answer 3

Los cimientos de los edificios históricos revelan los orígenes de la civilización.

The foundations of Historical buildings reveal the beginnings of civilisation.

Excelent! Wow... I'm in awe, Ray! :) - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

You say the nicest things! thank you so much cog, I was in awe at your brilliant writing the other day, bien echo. - ray76, Jan 4, 2011

hecho :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 4, 2011

Answer 4

Las vistas son secundarias cuando el cimiento no es sólida.

The view is secondary if the foundation is not solid.

Las vistas son secundarias cuando los cimientos no son sólidos. "La vista" can be understood like sight, the sense of seeing, whereas "las vistas" always means "view" Hi, Cathy! :) - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

Answer 5

The foundation of this house is strong on one side, but has no foundation on the other.

El cimiento de esta casa es fuerte en un lado, pero no tiene ningún cimiento en el otro.

Good! pesta ;) - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

Answer 6

Para ser una persona ideal, necesita un cimiento fuerte que empiece en el hogar. To be an ideal person, one needs a strong foundation that begins in the home.

Bienvenido al foro. :) - galsally, Jan 4, 2011

unos cimientos sólidos, que empiecen en el hogar. Well done and welcome to the Forum, eirvin! - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

Answer 7

A veces los creadores de videojuegos deben renovar los cimientos de un exitoso videojuego para asegurarse de que los jugadores siguen encontrando en él algo nuevo y excitante.

Sometimes video game creators must shake up the foundations of a successful video game to ensure that the players continue finding something new and exciting.

(I don't know how or if my sentence will work, it's partially nicked (stolen/taken) from a Googled result!)

In my opinion.. "remover" is just so-so in this context. I had said "reorganizar", or even "renovar". Also, in Spanish you need ....siguen encontrando "en él" algo... ( en él for referring to the video game, otherwise it's confusing) Well done,Sally! :) - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

Thanks Cogu! My use of 'remover' was extracted direct from a gamers forum, maybe it's gaming jargon? I'll go with your suggestions anyway. :) 'I would have said' by the way. - galsally, Jan 6, 2011

Answer 8

Building a foundation is not usually considered a do it yourself project, but it can be done with a little advice from your contractor or a friend who has experience.

La construcción de un cimiento no es generalmente considerado un proyecto de hágalo usted mismo, pero se puede hacer con un pequeño consejo de su contratista o un amigo que tiene experiencia.

no se considera generalmente un proyecto del tipo hágalo-usted-mismo... and ...o un amigo que" tenga" (subjunctive) experiencia. Hi, Don-Linton! :) - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

Gracias, cogumela! - Don-Linton, Jan 5, 2011

Answer 9

Los cimientos se apostaron con planchas de masa durante la construcción.

Foundations are staked using batter boards in construction.

...se apostaron con planchas de masa durante la construcción. Hi, wansell!;) - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

Thanks cogumela! - wansell, Jan 5, 2011

Answer 10

The foundation for the house is strong Los cimientos de la casa son fuerte.

Right, jennyo. But more common "los cimientos de la casa son fuertes" :) - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

gracias cogumela for the correction . - jennyo45, Jan 4, 2011

Answer 11

¿Sobre qué están afirmados sus cimientos?

Whereupon are the foundations fastened? Job 38:6

están shouldn't be capitalized. Right, Maria - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

Answer 12

Una pirámide grande requiere un cimiento fuerte.

A great pyramid requires a strong foundation.

Una gran pirámide requiere cimientos fuertes (or sólidos). Good, dogbert! - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

Answer 13

In the old cartoon, the singing frog was buried in the foundation of a building.

En los dibujos animados antiguos, la rana cantante se enterró en los cimientos de un edificio.

En los dibujos animados "antiguos"( viejo has a negative connotation, antiguo has not) , la rana cantante se enterró en los cimientos de un edificio. :) Good, Leatha. - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

Gracias, Cogumela - Leatha, Jan 4, 2011

Answer 14

En lugar de tener los cimientos normales de hormigón esta casa tiene un arbol.

Instead of the usual concrete foundations this house has a tree.

"los cimientos normales", and "esta casa está construída sobre un árbol" . Good MC! - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

"esta casa tiene un árbol is not correct", it would be correct if you said: En lugar de "tener" los cimientos normales de hormigón, esta casa "tiene" un árbol ( como cimientos). If you don't use tener in the first part, you can't do it in the second. :) - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011

gracias por tu ayuda como siempre Laura :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 4, 2011

Answer 15

Pedir disculpas es poner el cimiento para futuras ofensas.

To apologize is to lay the foundation for a future offense.

Pedir disculpas -remove "para"- es poner los cimientos para futuras ofensas. Good, sabor! - cogumela, Jan 4, 2011