Omitting "Nunca"

Question

Hi, A friend told me these few sentences that got me a little confused. She omitted the use of "nunca" in the first sentence, which i though was kind of essential, cause otherwise, it doesn't make much sense to me.

I told her something, and she wanted to say that she never heard of it.

en mi vida escuché que sea asi

te lo juro

son malvaviscos

aca y en la china

Can you please help me make sense out of it ? Thanks

Why do I feel like I'm talking to myself in this thread, lol - rodneyp, Aug 8, 2013

Answer 1

How did you sort that out ?

Jeje, I made it sound like I figured it out on my own didn't I? But I didn't. Between a friend of mine and WordReference I got the answer. Check out the link below. It's mostly in Spanish, if anyone needs help with translation just let ask.

en mi vida escuché que sea asi

Thanks! - idanr84, Aug 8, 2013

I added something to that thread, because "it isn't that easy" :) - chileno, Aug 8, 2013

Answer 2

en mi vida escuché que sea asi

I'd say you need nunca here, otherwise it doesn't make sense to me.

And the rest of the phrases, are you looking for translations?

Nope, I know what it means, i just provided it for further context. - idanr84, Aug 7, 2013

Answer 3

Cheeses people, why don;t you translate to English?

I haven't herd of that term, not in my lifetime.

Is that correct? Could that "not in my lifetime" be taken as never or ever in this case?

Edit: I made bold my question.

So even my question isn't well formulated.... :-(

FYI, if I don't answer straight, is because i want you to look for the answer, by researching dictionaries and not asking somewhere else and be provided for an answer.....

To read about how to develop muscles is not going to make you a muscled man. Right?

I don't understand what you're saying chileno, the sentence make sense to you without "nunca" or not ? - idanr84, Aug 7, 2013

I'm confused too - rodneyp, Aug 7, 2013

You put not in your English sentence yet the Spanish sentence does not have any negation in it. ????? - gringojrf, Aug 8, 2013

It does not matter if the translation has a "not" or not, hahaha, just tell me, how difficult would be to understand the English version as I wrote it. Would it make sense? - chileno, Aug 9, 2013

Okay your English sentence makes sense, but the structure is lousy. - gringojrf, Aug 9, 2013

I understand. I am not claiming an award, all i am doing is to make you aware that it can be said in English avoiding the word "never" or "ever", Can you improve it? ;) - chileno, Aug 9, 2013

Answer 4

Okay your link says that "en mi vida = nunca. So what if I say "en mi vida he visto tres veces ....."

Is it never without a qualifier and occasionally with the qualifier?

This one is really strange to me.

Yes it is, as many things are weird for us in English. Do you hear wimpering uh, uh?????? hahahaha :) - chileno, Aug 9, 2013

Answer 5

I finally got some clarity on this..

en mi vida escuché que sea asi

That's perfectly fine. it's the same as " nunca lo habias escuchado"

I don't quite understand why though.

How did you sort that out ? - idanr84, Aug 8, 2013

Because of what I said before... check the English version, and tell me if it does not make sense. :) - chileno, Aug 8, 2013

Answer 6

Chileno

Are you saying...

"en mi vida escuché que sea asi" translates to "I haven't herd of that term, not in my lifetime."

Therefore nunca is not needed?

correct. - chileno, Aug 8, 2013