Is this an error in the Dictionary under "Vida"?

Question

In SD's Dictionary for the Spanish word "vida", and under the section titled "Expresiones", the next to the last phrase says: "tener siete vidas (como los gatos) -> to have nine lives "

This is not correct, is it? instead of "siete" souldn't it be "nueve"?

Don't translate idioms literally, it gets you in trouble; they are sayings that convey a similar concept, they are not literal translations of each other. - Stadt, Apr 25, 2011

Answer 1

It is not an error. If you said "A cat has seven lives" in English, it would sound as odd as "Un gato tiene nueve" vidas in Spanish. English cats seem to have more lives, like in a video game. You would only translate these sentences literally if the cat actually resuscitated the precise number of times indicated in the sentence; otherwise you have to use each language's idiomatic expressions.

You say "black and white", and we say "blanco y negro". You cannot translate literally.

Well oh my! It's amazing the difference in cultures! LOL However, that just seems strange, to see it in the dictionary being translated from "nine lives" to "siete vidas" it just doesn't make sense to me! Gracias Lazarus. - Gillygaloo, Apr 25, 2011

Answer 2

In English friday the 13th is unlucky in Spain it is tuesday the 13th.

That's another one! - lazarus1907, Apr 25, 2011

Answer 3

No error. The expression is just different in Spanish.

Answer 4

I guess I am too much of a "literal" type of gal then! LOL