"I will pay" (for dinner)

Question

I sent a text to ask her out on a date. I searched for tranlation and wrote it in Spanish but I think I messed up! Can someone tell me who the following would translate?

cena el 2 de julio. yo manejaré. Pagaré. Te buscaré a las cuatro está bien con usted?

Thank you!

Welcome to SpanishDict. Please add your language levels to your profile. This helps members trying to answer your questions. - rac1, Jun 22, 2016

:) - ray76, Jun 23, 2016

Answer 1

I think as a native speaker I would change the word order and even use a different verb than "pagar."

Here's my offering.

Oye, tocante a nuestra cita, el dos de julio--te invito. Paso por ti a las cuatro de la tarde, ¿De acuerdo?

Inasmuch as it is a text you can shorten the first part thus:

Nuestra cena, el dos de julio-------etc.

Explanation:

"Te invito" implies "yo pago."

"Paso por ti" implies "I'm driving."

"De acuerdo" as a question means "OK?"

Also the present tense is used quite often to express a future idea in cases like this.

Great answer, Daniela. I didn't realize that te invito meant that the person inviting was offering to pay but it makes a lot of sense, I have also learnt from you that paso por ti implies: I am driving. Is this second one a regionalsim, please? - FELIZ77, Jun 22, 2016

By a regionalism I mean would it be understood and used in the same way Spain or is it a Mexican way of expressing the idea? - FELIZ77, Jun 22, 2016

Nope! De acuerdo (literally "of accord") is universal. --so is "paso por ti." (I will pass by for you) - Daniela2041, Jun 22, 2016

Yes, I have heard of de acuerdo and was taught it by natives from Spain, I understood the idea of paso por ti but I hadn't realized before today the implication that the person saying it would be driving past to pick up the person /giving them a lift - FELIZ77, Jun 22, 2016

Muchas gracias por responderme :) - FELIZ77, Jun 22, 2016

Answer 2

Hello Eliz,

Welcome to the SpanishDict forum

You asked:

I sent a text to ask her out on a date. I searched for tranlation and wrote it in Spanish but I think I messed up! Can someone tell me who the following would translate? cena el 2 de julio. yo manejaré. Pagaré. Te buscaré a las cuatro está bien con usted? Thank you!

It would translate as: The second of july I will drive. I will pay. I will look for you at 4 Is that okay/ alright with you?

It is clear enough. She may not have reccived it, or she might be uncertain/undecided how to respond if she was not previously aware of your interest in her./.feelings for her.

Grammar: You don't need the personal pronoun yo as the verb is already conjugated to mean: I will drive. Spanish natives do not often use personal pronouns, except for emphasis or to clarify who is doing what if the context does not already make it clear. from what has previously been said.

I would suggest, if you decide to send a repeat text Cena el 2 de julio. Te recogeré / te llevaré ...en coche a las 4 (cuatro) de la tarde. Pagaré la cuenta. ¿está bien contigo? (o ¿vale? (Esp) o ¿estamos de acuerdo? )

I hope this helps

Corrijan mi español si es necesario, por favor

"Te buscaré a las 4. Está bien contigo?" He's asking only one person out, and has already tuteared her. - jtaniel, Jun 22, 2016

Thanks Jt, Yes, I was so busy focussing on the overall meaning, I overlooked the fact that the questioner had used both the tu form and then the usted form - FELIZ77, Jun 22, 2016

I have added a note in my post at the end to explain why I think it is unnecessary to add the words I will look for you - FELIZ77, Jun 22, 2016

Answer 3

I agree with Daniela, however, "Paso por ti" is not necessarily "I´m driving" but more "I´ll pick you up / I´ll fetch you". You could be in a taxi or in a chofer driven car and still say this.

If you ever have to say "I´ll pay", which would be rare, a more elegant way to say it is: "Yo te disparo", but it might not be understood outside of Mexico.