This Paragraph and my attempt to translate it

Question

I took this from http://www.enfemenino.com/, the funniest site on the web (check the forum).

Bolded are parts I am unsure of. Italicized are gibberish translation.

¿Hay personas con las que no convives dia a dia pero con las que ya has tenido trato, que con sola una conversación, un gesto saben que algo te está pasando?, y no me refiero a los gestos o conversaciones obvias, en esas que dices " que triste es la vida", no , me refiero a esas en las que tratas de que sea una charla más y del otro lado te toman más atención de lo debido porque quieren hablar o intentar ayudarte?

My attempt:

Are there people with whom you don't live day to day but with whom you've had dealings, that with just a conversation, a gesture, they know that something is happening to you? And I'm not talking about the obvious gestures and conversations, in those that you say "How sad is life" No, I mean those in which you try to have another chat and on the other hand they take more attention from you than is deserved because they want to talk or try to help you?

1. Tratas de que sea una charla más. Tratas de que sea? Try that there would be? Subjunctive makes it like "would be" here right?
2. Del otro lado = por otra parte = del otra parte = por otro lado = is that right?
3. Te toman más atención de lo debido, now that is just not understood. They take more attention than is owed? De lo debido? I don't get it, methinks. Gracias.

Answer 1

I know you didn't write the Spanish. Nevertheless:

que con sólo una conversación

del otro lado te prestan / ponen más atención

"How sad is life" is too literal. I think most English speakers would rather say: "Life is so sad" or "how sad life is".

I mean those that you try to make into just another chat, and the other side pays more attention to you than is required

Sigh

This would have been a really nice exercise for students.

I wish it could have been Gekko, I wish it could have been. - jeezzle, Apr 19, 2011

Answer 2

"te toman más atención de lo debido" I think would translate to something like "they demand more of your attention than they deserve" (they demand more than their due)

Answer 3

Interesting. You're not too far off. I'll leave it unanswered for now, because I think this could be a neat exercise for other students.

Yes, I wish this site had a little more interest in it lately, not many takers on these types of questions. I would love to see a game every few days from that site, its full of fun stuff like this. - jeezzle, Apr 14, 2011

Answer 4

Just trying to translate from what the passage says, not suggesting other Spanish words in place of some of them: "There are people with whom you don't live day to day but have had dealings. In a conversation, by a gesture, (he) indicates he senses there is something bothering you. I'm not referring to words or gestures which are common, as in "how sad is life." No, I refer to those which lead to more chit-chat, but may take more time than they should or, on the other hand, may indicate he is wanting to help."

Answer 5

And now, let's answer it. Gracias.