If it was Ignacio, he wouldn't have been able to talk anyway.

Question

If it was Ignacio, he wouldn't have been able to talk anyway since he doesn't speak English.

A lawyer called for Ignacio, long story, so I asked Olga (Spanish only) , long conversation.

End Result, we decided that Ignacio wasn't here even though we didn't know (even we didn't know who he was) because he wouldn't want to talk to a lawyer, but I wanted to say

"If it was Ignacio, he wouldn't have been able to talk anyway.since he doesn't speak English"

So I said "Si fuera Ignacio no podría hablar de todos modos, que más da...... no puede hablar en íngles. A estas alturas no voy a buscarlo y punto" and told him he wasn't here.

But I don't know about "Si fuera Ignacio no podría hablar " though Olga got it, maybe, "si estuviera no importa ya que no puede hablar en íngles" but that's not how I would say it in English at all, so I don't know. I have a strange way of talking I'd really like to retain my speech patterns to some degree and not sound like a Spanish robot.

Gracias.

Ah yes, great answers. Should have known, no puede hablar is wrong, Of course he can talk in English, he just doesn't know how to. No sabe, no habla, gotcha. I usually only "check" myself when she doesn't understand me but this one bothered me a bit. - jeezzle, Jul 21, 2011

Hmm.. I didn't think about it either... - culé, Jul 21, 2011

Answer 1

In any case, jeez, it must be no sabe hablar inglés, o no habla inglés.

My choice.

De haber estado Ignacio, no hubiera podido hablar de todos modos ya que no habla inglés /ya que no sabe inglés.

besos

Could I say "Hablar de Ignacio, no hubiera podido hablar de todos modos ya que no habla inglés"? I assume, de haber estado - is like "Speaking of, but like Of being Ignacio, he......." and that it works with many verbs (de + inf) or only haber? Gracias. - jeezzle, Jul 21, 2011

Hablando de Ignacio (Speaking of) or Siendo Ignacio (Being) - De haber sido is more like "Because it was Ignacio" not speaking of --however you can us De + Inf to say many things... - toothpastechica, Jul 21, 2011

In otherwords you can say de haber side...but you cant say Hablar de (unless of course you add the de + inf) De hablar de...would be correct, but kind of wierd to say... - toothpastechica, Jul 21, 2011

Answer 2

Si era (or fuera, however you like) Ignacio, no importaría porque de todos modos no sabe ingles. (or no habla ingles)

That would be "if it was Ignacio, it wouldnt matter anyways because he doesnt know english (or doesnt speak english)

or "De todos modos, si fue Ignacio, no habla ingles"

"Regardless, if it was Ignacio, he doest speak english"

The "si' requires a subjunctive form. - DonK, Jul 21, 2011

"si" only requires subjunctive because it is referring to something in the past that didn't actually happen. "si" in the present does not require a subjunctive because it could still occur. - smabelini, Jul 21, 2011

Answer 3

"Si estuviera aquí Ignacio, de todos modos no podría haber contestado ya que no habla inglés."

es lo que más me gusta, genial, y no porque te amo, sino porque tienes razón, cielo:) - 00494d19, Jul 21, 2011

¡Eres tremenda, preciosura! - 005faa61, Jul 21, 2011

Answer 4

Hmm...when I speak I'd say:

"Hombre, igual no podría hablar si fuera Ignacio, ya que no habla inglés."

This is if it's an assumption.

But if it's in the past:

"Hombre, igual no podría haber hablado si hubiera sido Ignacio, ya que no habla inglés."

--

Si estuviera: if he was there

Si fuera: if it was him

That's how I'd understand them.

And in English is it incorrect to say: "if it had been ignacio he wouldn't have been able to talk." in this situation because it's in the past?

It's a bit slangy, probably not textbook correct. But the guy didn't speak Spanish, only Olga did. - jeezzle, Jul 21, 2011

if it had been ignacio (instead of me that answered) he wouldn't have been able to talk. = correct. if it had been ignacio he wouldn't have been able to talk (no context) is questionable and slangy but I talk that way sometimes. ;) - jeezzle, Jul 21, 2011

Thanks jeezzle :) - culé, Jul 21, 2011