¿Qué le costaba haberla acercado?

Question

¿Qué le costaba haberla acercado?

The context is that a girl has just spotted her brother in a part of town after he had said that he wasn't able to give her a lift to a party in the same area. My try is:

What had made it hard for him to bring her over?

However, I am sure that you lovely Spanish.dict people will be able to suggest some improvements for me....

This hard. - 0080b918, Jul 29, 2013

What did it cost him to have brought her close? But it should be "would have cost... So to me the imperfect dosen't work here. - gringojrf, Jul 29, 2013

Answer 1

Knowing the context the sentence should be understood as:

What could it have cost (him) to have brought her near (to the place) ?

I have the same question for you that I had for chileno. Were does the would, could come from when all we have is the imperfect? - gringojrf, Jul 30, 2013

In english it just cant be literally translated-- you cant say ( english ) what did cost him to near her - pacofinkler, Jul 30, 2013

Answer 2

How hard would've been for him to ....(have helped her)...

Where are you getting the would've? There is no conditional or subjunctive. - gringojrf, Jul 29, 2013

So, why your version has the conditional? Now, translate correctly what is being said, since you picked up there isn't conditional or subjuntive form in the Spanish version. ;) - chileno, Jul 30, 2013

Fair and square? :-D - chileno, Jul 30, 2013

How hard was it for him to have brought her near? But that doesn't make sense because he did not bring her. I'm confused! - gringojrf, Jul 30, 2013

What was it so hard for him to have helped her... Does that make more sense? - chileno, Jul 30, 2013

Hi Chileno According to my wife the frase really cannot be translated and make sense - pacofinkler, Jul 30, 2013

What? Anything can be translated, if that fails, it can be interpreted. :) - chileno, Jul 30, 2013

I'd give you another vote if I could for your last comment. - gringojrf, Jul 30, 2013

Hola Chileno- interpreting is exactly what has been going on here- but as we know- there are phrases that cannot translate as they are so interpretation is the only option - pacofinkler, Jul 30, 2013

I go with you Chileno, trnaslating ismaking it sound natural, not word for word.. - annierats, Jul 30, 2013

I know that paco, that's why I have been leading people on with what i hope some will come up with (an) understandable translation(s) :) - chileno, Jul 30, 2013

Answer 3

¿Si estás aquí porque no puedes llevarme?

If you're here, why couldn't you bring me?

i'm sorry. Maybe I wasn't very clear that I wanted help to translate the original sentence, *¿Qué le costaba haberla acercado?* I wasn't after an alternative sentence. - togtog, Jul 29, 2013

Okay. But the construction of the origninal sentence is (for me) convoluted. - gringojrf, Jul 29, 2013

Oh yes, it is. Which is why I am finding it hard to translate and so need help with it! :-) - togtog, Jul 29, 2013

Answer 4

What could it have cost (him) to have brought her near (to the place) ?

¿Qué podría costarle para haberla acercado?

Answer 5

What would it have cost him to bring her? ¿Lo que habría costado a traerla?

Answer 6

I do not know.