Translation question "que hace que..."

Question

Hello, I am looking at a passage in a book, and think I understand how to translate it, but was told I was wrong when I asked a professor. I am wondering if you all could shed some light on this. The phrase is:

¡"Y qué hace que éramos niños!"

I thought it meant, "how long its been since we were kids"!, and the professor said it meant, "how great it was when we were kids"!

Any ideas? Here's some more of the sentences, to give it context...

Era la semana de navidad, la más feliz de los niños de Antioquia. ¡Y qué hace que éramos niños! Se nos habían ido pasando los días, los años, la vida.......

Thanks!

hacer+time expression+ que...you can't omit the time expression without losing the meaning - 0074b507, Jul 7, 2011

Answer 1

Era la semana de navidad, la más feliz de los niños de Antioquia. ¡Y cuánto hace que éramos niños! Se nos habían ido pasando los días, los años, la vida...

I'd just change that. That means something like "Oh my god, it's been so long since we were kids!"

In one hand your teacher is right but in the other hand he's not, because "¡Y qué hace que éramos niños!" doesn't make sense. It's too far to "how great it was when we were kids"

Bien explicado, realmente era equivicado. Gracias. - Jeremias, Jul 8, 2011

Answer 2

I agree with Jack.

The full context of the phrase is as follows:

"...Era la semana de navidad, la más feliz de los niños de Antioquia. ¡Y qué hace que éramos niños! Se nos habían ido pasando los días, los años, la vida, tan atropelladamente como ese río de Medellín que convirtieron en alcantarilla para que arrastrara, entre remolinos de rabia,en sus aguas sucias, en vez de las sabaletas resplandecientes de antaño, mierda, mierda y más mierda hacia el mar."

From the book "El Desbarrancadero" by Fernando Vallejo.

The narrator is telling us about their childhood in Antioquia, and how quickly time has passed. So, to me, the closest translation of ¡ Y qué hace que éramos niños! according to the context, would be:

...It seems like it was yesterday, when we were kids!

Pondering the context,I would agree. - pacofinkler, Jul 8, 2011

Answer 3

Era la semana de navidad, la más feliz de los niños de Antioquia. ¡Y qué hace que éramos niños! Se nos habían ido pasando los días, los años, la vida.......

It seems your Professor is right. To say, "How long it has been since we were kids", you'd have to say something like, "Hace mucho tiempo desde que eramos niños." It's a phrase I wouldn't necessarily understand by itself, but in context it makes sense. Thanks for providing this interesting phrase.

J

Answer 4

I think this phrase is more akin to I remember it just like it was yesterday. I know that's not what is being said, but I think that is close to the thought being expressed.

Answer 5

Era la semana de navidad, la más feliz de los niños de Antioquia. ¡ hace tanto que éramos niños! han pasado los días, los años y la vida.......

Answer 6

Thank you all! This was something that was extremely baffling