How to translate "for which" in this sentence

Question

Hello,

I'm struggling with this sentence.

"I have cosas for which I need to prepare."

My tries:

Tengo cosas en que necesito preparar.
Tengo cosas para la que necesito preparar.

(Also, not sure if it should be prepararme).

Hopefully I'm close..... 'en which' 'for which' etc. is a pronoun that confuses me.

thank you!

Answer 1

I would say: Tengo cosas para las que necesito prepararme. I'm not 100% certain, though.

I don't know about the "prepararME" either. - Goldie_Miel, Feb 25, 2012

I want to say "para las que"... but I am not really sure... - NikkiLR, Feb 25, 2012

You know I think you're right. And BradyLabuda is probably right about preparar. - Anna, Feb 25, 2012

Wait I take that back. I'm preparing myself for the things. - Anna, Feb 25, 2012

No puedes usar el subjuntivo en esa frase, Goldie. Un ejemplo parecido con subjuntivo: "Quizás tenga cosas para las que necesite prepararme". - Cordobesa, Feb 25, 2012

Oh, ok Cordobesa. I thought it was automatic. I will change that. THANKS! - Goldie_Miel, Feb 26, 2012

Answer 2

"Tengo cosas para las que necesito prepararme", pero "tengo" no suena demasiado bien, así que yo diría "Hay cosas para las que necesito prepararme".

Thank you! - Goldie_Miel, Feb 26, 2012

De nada, Goldie :) - Cordobesa, Feb 26, 2012

Answer 3

Okay, I asked my friend, voyage_voyage... This is what he said:

Tengo algunas cosas por las cuales necesito prepararme.

---

I found out you can use "para las que" as well.

So... "Tengo algunas cosas para las que necesito prepararme."

Tu segunda frase está perfecta. La primera está bien, pero tiene un significado diferente. - Cordobesa, Feb 25, 2012

How is it different? Can you give examples?:) - NikkiLR, Feb 25, 2012

Like... I was taught that "el que" and "el cual" are interchangeable and had the same meaning. - NikkiLR, Feb 25, 2012

*almost always - NikkiLR, Feb 25, 2012

The difference is not "el que" or "el cual", but "por" and "para". You can say "Tengo algunas cosas por las que necesito prepararme" and "Tengo algunas cosas para las cuales necesito prepararme". - Cordobesa, Feb 26, 2012

Yeah, I understand that now... but now that I had a friend explain this to me, I don't understand how "por" fits in here. - NikkiLR, Feb 26, 2012

I found this on WR - ""Por" es lo que te mueve a actuar, "para" es tu objetivo, o el destinatario de tu acción." Is this why you can also use "por" here? Because the things are what make you get ready? - NikkiLR, Feb 26, 2012

Answer 4

I find your English sentence a bit unwieldy. I would use "must" rather than "need to" to avoid adding an unnecessary preposition.

"I have things for which I need to prepare (myself)."

"I have things for which I must prepare (myself)."

Of course, I really don't know which one is more appropriate in Spanish.

My attempt after the switch is:

"Tengo cosas para las que deberé prepararme."

Corrections are appreciated.

¡Muy bien, Cisco! ("deberé prepararme" si hablas sobre algo que tienes que hacer en el futuro) - Cordobesa, Feb 25, 2012

¡Muchas gracias! - ciscocaja, Feb 25, 2012

Answer 5

I think Goldie's right: para que looks right. But I'm not sure why you used nececite instead of necesito?

And about prepararme, I don't think preparar is reflexive in this case. You are talking about preparing the "things (cosas)" and not about yourself. If you were going to say "I have to prepare by getting dressed, (Tengo que prepararme por vestirme)" or something around those lines, preparar is reflexive because you are talking about preparing yourself. But since this case is different and you are preparing an object, no reflexive verb is needed.

I don't think she is talking about the "things" -- I have things for which I need to prepare (myself)... it seems. - NikkiLR, Feb 25, 2012

I used the subjunctive ("necesite") because it's kind of automatic after the phrase "para que". - Goldie_Miel, Feb 25, 2012

@ Nikki: the more I read it, the more I'm lean towards "prepararme". - Goldie_Miel, Feb 25, 2012

If she said "that I need to prepare"... then it would be referring to the "things"... - NikkiLR, Feb 25, 2012

@Goldie... me too. :) - NikkiLR, Feb 25, 2012

"Tengo cosas que preparar"..."Tengo cosas para las que prepararme (yo)". ¿Veis la diferencia? - Cordobesa, Feb 25, 2012