to take for granted

Question

We take church for granted.

A most interesting question. - annierats, Nov 9, 2014

Good question - Joydeep_Singh, Nov 9, 2014

Welcome to SpanishDict. Please be more specific. Thanks. - rac1, Nov 9, 2014

Answer 1

Take for granted: dar algo por sentado o dar por hecho . As I don't know what you mean by taking '' church'' for granted I can't translate it.

Please: do you mean you take God for granted, or the church building, or the congregation?

This question may require a native English speaker.

:)) - Cordobesa, Nov 9, 2014

I am almost a native speaker--21 years. When an English speakers says "church" he/she is talking about the total church experience of going into the building called "church" and participating in the "church" experience--singing the hymns listening to the - Daniela2041, Nov 10, 2014

listening to the sermons, the fellowship and all that. Also the people in scripture are called the church. In scriptures the building is never called the church. - Daniela2041, Nov 10, 2014

Answer 2

This link to wordreference.com says that this is a uniquely English expression.

take for granted

Perhaps my experience of using English for 67 years can help clarify. I think the poster means that we do not appreciate church and saying that in Spanish instead of dar por..sentado, seguro, hecho would be best. So I would say No apreciamos la iglesia.

Jubilado, surely it means we just think it's there, sort of, without paying attention to it. I mean, we don't pay attention? - annierats, Nov 9, 2014

maybe you're right, I'm neither English nor religous. - annierats, Nov 9, 2014

Annie, it could mean what you said or what I said or something else. It's hard to be precise without more context. - Jubilado, Nov 9, 2014

Jubilado, you are so RIGHT ON! Gracias! "No apreciamos la iglesia" That' it! Wow! - Daniela2041, Nov 10, 2014