Need help with english to spanish translation

Question

This is what I am attempting to translate to Spanish: I was ten years old in the photo. I dressed like a tomboy and wore baggy clothes. I lived in Beaverton Oregon. I was very shy. I had a few close friends, who are actually still in my life today. I liked to play basketball, listen to music, make jewelry, and hang out with my friends.

This is my attempt in Spanish: Yo tenía diez años en la foto. Me vestí como un marimacho y llevaba ropa holgada. Vivía en Beaverton Oregon. Yo era muy tímido. Tenía pocos amigos íntimos, que realmente todavía están en mi vida hoy. Me gustaba jugar baloncesto, escuchar música, hacer joyas y salir con mis amigos.

If anyone could help, that would be great! Thanks

Answer 1

Great job.

A couple of suggestions.

You could check with a native speaker but I think 'como marimacho' without the 'un' works better.

I presume you're female so you would be tímidA.

The sentence about friends seems a bit awkward in both languages. How about something like.

Tenía pocos amigos íntimos pero interesantemente los que tenían en aquellao entonces todavía estan en mi vida hoy en día.

Just a note that 'hoy' means 'today' literally, this one day but 'hoy (en) día' means 'these days', 'presently' etc.

Edit: I missed this one (caught by Feliz, well done) you 'jugar + a + a game' - this isn't translatable but is just the way it is so ...

Eg. jugar al baloncesto, jugar al fútbol etc

Joyas are jewels but joyería is jewellery.

Other than that it looks great to me, well done.

::) - FELIZ77, May 4, 2014

MC, don't you mean hoy en día ? Or does hoy día also exist? I have never heard of it if it does! - FELIZ77, May 4, 2014

actually they both exist but RAE does prefer 'hoy en día' so we should probably stick to that lol - Kiwi-Girl, May 4, 2014

Cool, Kiwi! :) I cannot remember seeing that one before or perhaps only onceor twice in last 5 -10 years lol - FELIZ77, May 4, 2014

Answer 2

Hello Alycia,

Here are some corrections that I can offer you:

You said me vestí = I dressed. You may need to use the imperfect indicative here depending on whether you mean:

1.you dressed like a tomboy only for the photot : me vestí = I dressed is correct Keep it as it is with sincere apologies for misreading your meaning! or....

2.me vestía como marimacho = I used to dress as a tomboy if you were referring to how you normally used to dress!

I agree with Kiwi that: Me vestí como marimacho sounds better without the article un here before the noun (Good catch, Kiwi!)

I was concentrating on certain mistakes and missed the feminine ending tímida

algunos = a few (some) pocos = few (not many)

Please check that you have used the correct word/s above:

I would say:Tenía algunos amigos íntimos que se quedan, en realidad, en mi vida hoy en día. ..= .I had a few close friends, who are actually still in my life today.

o .Tenía algunos amigos íntimos en realidad, todavía, en mi vida hoy en día

quedan = remain (from verb quedarse)

jugar al baloncesto

hang out I would use pasar tiempo /o andar con mis amigos, so:

"...y pasar tiempo con mis amigos"

Great effort Your Spanish is generally very good

I am guessing that you are an intermediate level student, Alycia, but please complete your profile so we can offer the most appropriate support!

Thank you

I hope this helps

Feliz perhaps me vestí vs me vestía depends on whether she was saying that she used to dress that way generally or if she was just referring to the fact that she was dressed that way in the photo. - Kiwi-Girl, May 4, 2014

Ah yes good point, Kiwi :) I was picking up that she meant generally but I think you are right Alycia was talking about the context of teh photo - FELIZ77, May 4, 2014