Let's Practice: When the gerund is expressed as an infinitive in Spanish

Question

In English, gerunds can be used as nouns, which in Spanish they are almost always translated as an infinitive. Example: Smoking is hazardous to your health --> Fumar es dañino para la salud..

Let's practice translating phrases in Spanish from an English gerund. I'll get us started.

Public speaking can be difficult --> Hablar en público es difícil

New Phrase: Drinking and driving can be fatal

Good one... now you are keeping me from my afternoon nap. - katydew, Sep 2, 2012

Maybe ".... can be difficult" is "Hablar en público puede ser difícil." - --Mariana--, Sep 2, 2012

Claro que sí, Marianna, pero la expresión "can be" is más usada en inglés que en español. - francobollo, Sep 3, 2012

Answer 1

Dormirse con la televisión encendida puede causar pesadillas.

Talking too much makes it impossible to listen.

Mariana, estás sobresaliente. Sigamos el juego. - francobollo, Sep 3, 2012

Answer 2

Bailar es buen ejercicio.

Voting is a great privilige.

Buenas noches, Noetol! :)) - iana01, Sep 3, 2012

Buenos días, Iana ! - Noetol, Sep 3, 2012

Answer 3

Se prohibe caminar sobre la hierba.

New: Singing in the car is fun.

Hola, Grace. :) - iana01, Sep 3, 2012

Hola, Iana! :) - GraceM, Sep 3, 2012

Answer 4

Beber y manejar puede ser fatal.

New: Walking on the grass is prohibited.

Excelente --- Pero recuerda, Beber (no fumar) ¡aunque ambos son dañinos! - francobollo, Sep 2, 2012

lol. Stupid error. Drinking not Smoking. - gringojrf, Sep 2, 2012

Smoking could be correct if you drop your cigarette! :-) - 0095ca4c, Sep 2, 2012

Answer 5

-> Participar en este hilo cuesta mucho.

Nuevo: Sleeping at least eight hours a night is recommended.

Just cansa, Mariana. Se cansa means to get tired by a strenous activity. - francobollo, Sep 3, 2012

How about - " es exigente " ? - ian-hill, Sep 3, 2012

Hmmmm....I thought that you could get mentally exhausted too. Let me find another verb. - --Mariana--, Sep 3, 2012

Now before anyone reads that as "costs money" we use "cuesta mucho" to mean "it takes a lot of effort---or---it takes a lot out of you." - --Mariana--, Sep 3, 2012

Exactly, Mariana -- costar mucho has two meanings and you are right on the money! - francobollo, Sep 3, 2012

Now I know what is wrong with me :) - ian-hill, Sep 3, 2012

Answer 6

Ir al cine es caro en estos días.

New: Taking part in this thread is taxing.

Hola, amigo. Also, we can say "hoy en día." - --Mariana--, Sep 2, 2012

Good observation, Mariana! - francobollo, Sep 3, 2012

hoy (en) día = nowadays - ian-hill, Sep 3, 2012

Answer 7

Votar es un gran privilegio.

Nueva: Texting in class is a recent phenomenon.

Answer 8

Cantar en el coche es divertido.

New: Dancing is good exercise.

New: Dancing is good exercise.

Answer 9

Se recomienda dormir por lo menos ocho horas por día (even if it's at night).

Falling asleep with the TV on can cause nightmares

Answer 10

Texting in class is a recent phenomenon

Hacer los textos en clase es un fenómeno de los últimos años.

New: Going to the cinema is expensive these days.

I'd say: enviar mensajes de texto - francobollo, Sep 3, 2012

Answer 11

Asistir la escuela es obligatorio

New sentence: Betting on horses can become an expensive habit..

Great! I'd say: "a la escuela" - francobollo, Sep 5, 2012

Answer 12

Hablar demasiado hace imposible escucharlo.

New: Attending school is compulsory.

Answer 13

Apostarle a los caballos se puede convertir en un vicio muy caro.

New sentence: Learning and making friends on SD is awesome!