Confusion with direct objects and verbs
I have always been unsure of the translation for a sentence like:
We are watching them work.
Or
I can see her reading.
Or
They are watching the team play.
Can anyone help me with the correct way to translate these sentences. Your help is greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
Great question, which I´m not sure about here, so don´t memorize this until a native chimes in. (or one of the many more advanced non natives) I´d try.
Los miramos trabajar.
La puedo ver leer.
That just sounds right to me (which believe me, unfortunately means very little), but I don´t think we´ve had that in any class. Just kind of what (I think) I have observed or heard.
Hmmm, now I´m really doubting myself.
HELP (us) please!
Delete this, please. Duplicated.
We are watching them work. (I assume it's present continuous for "right now"). Nosotros estamos mirándolos trabajar. "Nosotros" can be omitted and rogspax alternative works too: los miramos trabajar but this is context-dependent because miramos is also the conjugation for the preterite.
I can see her reading. Yo puedo verla leer. "Yo" can be omitted too.
They are watching the team play. Ellos están mirando al equipo jugar. Again, the subject is not mandatory.
Unfortunately I'm not a grammar teacher and I cannot help you on a translation technique for this kind of sentences. I hope this helps.
[Feel free to correct my English. Thank you]
