"discutir"

Question

It is difficult for me to consistently distinguish when "discutir" means to argue (fight verbally, quarrel) and when it means to discuss, debate, question, or dispute. I've looked at the examples in Spandict, and have a couple of questions.

In SpanDict, there is this: Intransitive 1. (To fight verbally) a. To argue Mi hermano y su esposa discuten todo el tiempo. My brother and his wife argue all the time. b. To quarrel Vimos una pareja en la calle discutiendo. We saw a couple quarreling in the street. 2. (To talk about) a. To discuss La pareja discutió con el sacerdote sobre sus votos. The couple discussed their vows with the priest.

WHAT IF... 1. In the first example, we referenced what the brother and his wife argued about all the time? It would seem that once one uses "de" or "sobre de" the meaning of discutir changes from arguing to discussing. In other words, how would you say "My brother and his wife argue all the time about money"? 2. In the example of the couple's discussion with the priest, what if we changed the sentence to "La pareja discutió con el sacerdote el tema de sus votos"? By adding "el tema" and dropping "sobre," isn't discutir now being used transitively (i.e., the direct object of discutir is el tema)? And if so, does the meaning of discutir change at all (perhaps to "debated" or "questioned").

Kiwi-Girl's comment really says a lot about this post and some other posts. My vote - Jubilado, Oct 29, 2015

Terrific question! - jrschenk, Oct 29, 2015

Answer 1

I find that discutir is used whenever there is any contention to the discussion, which leaves a lot of room from a voicing of opinions to a full on verbal war.

When there is no contention then we have "hablar", "platicar", "chatear", etc.

Answer 2

Hello Macbelblend.

Discutir can be used with the meanings quarrel, discuss, debate, question, or dispute.

And it will be the context who provides wich is it´s meaning. There are other words that you can use, or add an adjetive to "discutir". if you want to be more concise.

(1) with the meaning of fight verbally, quarrel:

discutir acaloradamente (its a bit ambiguous, can be both). reñir ,echarse una bronca, pelearse (also a bit ambiguous , the context is necesary to determinate if it is only a verbal fight), discutieron, disputar.

(2) with the meanings discuss, debate, question, or dispute: . debatir, argumentar, disertar, discutir.

(1) discutieron acaloradamente por que rompió su movil. (2) discutieron durante horas sobre política ciencia y filosofia. (1)(2) los políticos discutieron acaloradamente sobre el estado de la nación. (1) Esa pareja está todo el día riñendo /discutiendo/echándose broncas/peleándose/en disputas. (2) Esa pareja no sabe estar callada, se pasa el día debatiendo/argumentando/disertando/discutiendo sobre deportes, moda o lo que se les ponga a tiro.

Please correct my English..

And it will be the context which provides what the meaning is.... words that you can use, or you can add and adjective (spelling).... Aunque el uso de dos "you can" paresca un pleonasmo en inglés no lo es. - Jubilado, Oct 29, 2015

gracias jpor corregir mi inglés - 000a35ff, Oct 29, 2015

another grammatical point: the word "it's" means "it is"; "it's" is not possessive. Rather, "its" is the possessive form of it. so you can say "its meaning," not " it's meaning." - malbecblend, Oct 29, 2015

another correction: the context is necessary to determine NOT" determinate" Determinate is not a word - malbecblend, Oct 30, 2015

Answer 3

Just in case:

discutir = to expose, to examine (talk about)

Edit:

According to Merriam-Webster dictionary.

To discuss:

to talk about (something) with another person or group

to give information, ideas, opinions, etc., about (something) in writing or speech

To argue:

to give reasons for or against something : to say or write things in order to change someone's opinion about what is true, what should be done, etc.

to cause (someone) to decide to do or not do something by giving reasons

to disagree or fight by using angry words

From the RAE

1. tr. Dicho de dos o más personas: Examinar atenta y particularmente una materia.

2. tr. Contender y alegar razones contra el parecer de alguien. Todos discutían sus decisiones. U. m. c. intr. Discutieron con el contratista sobre el precio de la obra.

Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados

I hope this helps you. If not, Please do say so.

Answer 4

Just to put my 2 penny in I'd say that discutir generally suggests some level of conflict or debate in the discussion (although not necessarily to the point of what we would call an argument).

So I'd suggest using discutir to mean discuss when there is something that has to be resolved but stick with hablar or something similar when it's more of an amiable chat.

In the meeting we discussed the plans for next year.

En la reunión hablamos sobre los planes para el año que viene.

• no debate, could be that you were discussing already finalised plans

In the meeting we discussed the plans for next year.

En la reunión discutamos los planes para el año que viene.

• debate, sounds like you were working out what the plans should be and there were at least some differences of opinion

Hope that helps

Nice to see you! - annierats, Oct 28, 2015

Thanks Annie, good to see some interesting questions filtering through ;) - Kiwi-Girl, Oct 28, 2015

Answer 5

Thanks to everyone who contributed their input. The sentence that prompted my question was from the July, 2015 issue of Think Spanish magazine. The sentence was the following: Carolina y Gustavo, ambos argentinos, están discutiendo sobre los atractivos de su país." The editors of this article translate "discutiendo sobre" as "talking about." What follows is a friendly, non-argumentative conversation about the various interesting places to visit in Argentina. One points out, for example, that Iguazú is fantastic, and the other, though not disagreeing with that suggestion, adds that the wine country is also a great place to visit.

It seems like there wouldn't be a difference between "discutiendo sobre" and "hablando sobre," though I suppose that, given some of the suggestions given here, "discutiendo " implies that each of the two people ( Carolina and Gustavo) had different thoughts on the subject.

But no one really answered my original questions. Let me try again. In the following sentence, "discutir" is used intransitively and it means "argue": "Mi hermano y su esposa discutieron todo el tiempo." So what if We add what they were arguing about. What if I want to say, for example, that "My brother and his wife argue all the time about money." Would "discuten" still mean argue? Or does "discuten" now mean "discuss" or talk about"?

Please read another edit in my entry. - chileno, Oct 29, 2015

thanks for your correction. I would like add something more. "discutir sobre" means talk about, address a theme, and "discutir por" argue - 000a35ff, Oct 29, 2015

So, my brother and his wife argue all the time about money = Mi hermano y su esposa discuten todo el tiempo por el dinero? - malbecblend, Oct 30, 2015

yes - 000a35ff, Oct 30, 2015

Answer 6

But no one really answered my original questions. Let me try again. In the following sentence, "discutir" is used intransitively and it means "argue": "Mi hermano y su esposa discutieron todo el tiempo." So what if We add what they were arguing about. What if I want to say, for example, that "My brother and his wife argue all the time about money." Would "discuten" still mean argue? Or does "discuten" now mean "discuss" or talk about"?

I am unsure what is you original question. Is it about transitive vs intransitive or about the meaning of discutir? I think that the meaning depends almost entirely on context and will fall along a spectrum of differing opinions to an all out verbal fight. Sometimes even context leaves a lot of room for interpretation. I think this may be one of those cases. If you look in the dictionary. In both its transitive and intransitive forms it can mean either argue or talk about. You have to rely on other context and knowledge of the subjects.

I think that the transitive vs. intransitive does not matter much unless you are in a university Spanish class. Most people do not think about whether a verb is being used transitively or intransitively. Heck, I don't even have a clear understanding of the difference and I certainly don't think about it when I speak or listen.

I hope this helps answer your original question.