Did I understand her correctly?

Question

link text

"Estoy aquí para ayudar...para construir más centros y para cambiar la vida de estos niños"

I am here to help [something here], to build more town centers, and to change the life (lives?) of these children.

Can someone tell me what she says after "para ayudar" and before "para construir". I can't seem to understand it.

Also, why is it not "las vidas"? She says "la vida de...".

Gracias

Already answered. Just a comment, 'las vidas' would sound as if a child has more than one life. - ale_rd, Oct 9, 2011

Thanks, ale_rd! - SonrisaDelSol, Oct 9, 2011

Answer 1

Estoy aquí para ayudar este Rafa en su fundación... (Rafa is a person)

You can say la vida de estos niños... Think of it not so much as lives, but as the way of living of these children.

Exactly Well said Jeremias :) - FELIZ77, Oct 9, 2011

Thank you very much, J, I understand now! - SonrisaDelSol, Oct 9, 2011

No hay de que, Sonrisa. Izanoni1 deserves this best answerer badge for explaining the use of the possesive so well! - Jeremias, Oct 9, 2011

Answer 2

Also, why is it not "las vidas"? She says "la vida de...".

Because the possessive article is not distributive when the noun being described is plural and the thing being possessed is considered "inalienable"; i.e. each child only has only a single life ? la vida de estes niños.

Compare with the following:

A los niños les duele la cabeza. (each child only has a single head)

We were just discussing this in class the other day. - jeezzle, Oct 9, 2011

Aha, thanks so much, Izanoni :D - SonrisaDelSol, Oct 9, 2011

That's a great explanation - Jeremias, Oct 9, 2011

Answer 3

Well, for a better translation you change the word 'para' to 'a' as article and there you have.

Gracias, Viggo! - SonrisaDelSol, Oct 9, 2011

De nada ;) - Viggo, Oct 9, 2011

Answer 4

...este...Rafa y su fundación....

Rafa Márquez is a football player and it looks like he founded this childrens center or is getting it named after him. If you look behind her you can almost make his name out fully. Este is like "uhh" here.

No wonder I couldn't figure it out. I don't feel so dumb now. - jeezzle, Oct 9, 2011

Jeezle, me too :) - FELIZ77, Oct 9, 2011

Thanks much, Murkilator!! I had no clue who Rafa was. - SonrisaDelSol, Oct 9, 2011

Answer 5

Sounds like "este ? y su fundación" ...... but I can't tell what word she says where ? is. Sounds like "rafe" but that can't be right.

I heard something like "rafa" or "rafe", too! Gracias, Jeezzle!! - SonrisaDelSol, Oct 9, 2011

Answer 6

Sonrisa, I think that you have understood most of that sentence well but I personally would translate ''centros'' simply as centres (ie Children's centres dedicated to the care and welfare of children) rather than town centres.

There were many compound phrases using centro in my Oxford Spanish Dictionary

I could not clearly make out the words she spoke after ayudar so, I am sorry I cannot help you there she may be using vocabulary with which I am not familiar.

Regarding la vida I think it would be similar to the way we would say: ''the quality of life for these children'' not the quality of lives for these children

I hope this helps

Thanks so much, Feliz! - SonrisaDelSol, Oct 9, 2011