que no veas mi madre

Question

Does this sentence really say "I hope that my mom doesn't see"? Or is it supposed to have a word indicating "hope"?

Answer 1

Kyle,

Without further context, one can only guess. My guess is that this expression lacks punctuation and it stands for:

¡Que no veas! ¡Mi madre!

Which is an exclamation of surprise like: Wow, isn't it amazing! My god!

Answer 2

Shouldn't there be a personal "a" in there because the mother is the direct object?

Que no veas A mi madre.

I was thinking that too, but assumed his original source was correct Spanish, and that it was just some nuance that I didn´t understand which caused the lack. If only I could see half as well the 80% of the time I forget to interject them myself. - rogspax, Jan 26, 2013

I thikit's aset phrese, Mariana. - annierats, Jan 28, 2013

Answer 3

No sir.

First, it says roughly, "that you don't see my mother"

Second, since it's just a clause, there would have to be some some leading clause, and it would have to require the subjunctive. Espero in the sense of hope, would be just one, of many many options.

hth roger

Answer 4

Now that I think about it, part of my original answer may apply.

"que no veas" is an expression meaning "you wouldn't believe".

que no veas, mi madre. You wouldn't believe it, my mom

With the proper context however, we can't be sure.

yes. - annierats, Jan 28, 2013

Although mi madre has nothingmuch to do with mummy. - annierats, Jan 28, 2013

Answer 5

Is there also the possibility that using "veas" would naturally lead one to understand "tú" is implied, along w/ Mariana's addition of the "a" before "mi," it very simply says:

---

Don't look at my mother -or- Don't look in her general direction, almost to say, "Give her some privacy or respect" for whatever reason...

---

Just my 2 cents = mis dos centavos

You´re right about Tú and Veas, but it´does´t just imply it, it Means it, unambiguously. - rogspax, Jan 26, 2013

De acuerdo Rog, I guess I should have explained it differently; by writing "implied" I meant tú was understood hence unnecessary (thanks for the absent accent!) - cristalino, Jan 27, 2013

Answer 6

There is a construction which implements a wish, suggestion or instruction without a main verb. For example:

"Que entren los chicos" "Let the boys come in"

"Que no lo toque nadie" "Let no one touch it"

These constructions may be interpreted as a wish or a hope:

"I hope no one touches it"

This construction features verbs in the third person singular or plural as appropriate. Kyle's sentence has a verb in the present subjunctive second person which is puzzling.

"Que no vea mi madre" means "I hope my mother doesn't see"

Either there is a typo, or a synapse missing in my head (most likely)

Padrin, as and when I find a matchbox, we can share the light!. - annierats, Jan 29, 2013

Answer 7

''No veas'', is used as an exclamation, a strengthener, an exaggeration. See Cogumela's answer.

Annie, the light is going on - slowly - padrin, Jan 29, 2013

Answer 8

OOPS! Sorry, forget what I said, I misread the question!