Translate english into spanish (basics / self teaching)

Question

1: The teacher is explaining the lesson. - El maestro explica la lección.

2: What lesson is he explaining? - ¿Que lección explica?

3: What do you study, Mary? - ¿Que estudias, Mary?

4: Does he explain the Spanish lesson? - ¿Explica la lección de español?

5: Does he speak Spanish? - ¿Hablas español?

6: Don’t you speak Spanish? - ¿Habla español?

7: Yes, I speak Spanish, but I don’t speak Spanish well. - Sí, hablo español pero no hablo español bien

8: The teacher speaks Spanish and English. - El maestro habla español y ingles

9: We don’t study Spanish much. - Nosotros no estudiamos mucho español

10: Miss Burton, what are you explaining to the class? - ¿La señorita Burton, que explicas a la clase?

11: John and Mary, what are you studying? - ¿John y Mary, que estudian?

12: She doesn’t study Spanish much, but she explains the lesson well. - Ella no estudia mucho español pero explica la lección bien

13: The pupils (fem.) are studying. - Las alumnas estudian.

14: Are you studying the Spanish lesson, Mr. Blanco?
- ¿Estudias la lección de español, señor Blanco?

15: Don’t they speak Spanish with the teacher? - ¿No hablan español con el maestro?

Welcome to SpanishDict. Are these your answers? Which are you asking to be proofread? - rac1, Mar 19, 2017

Yes these are my translation of the english text. I would like to hear if they are right translated - JuanKr, Mar 19, 2017

Answer 1

El maestro explica la lección.
That's fine, or I might say El maestro está explicando la lección.

¿Que lección explica?
As above, and you need an accent in Qué.

¿Que estudias, Mary?
Works for me (with an accent in Qué). Or ¿Qué estudia Ud., Mary?

Thank you! When do I you use estar in a sentence like this: "El maestro está explicando la lección." . Does main and your say the same? - JuanKr, Mar 19, 2017

Answer 2

When do I you use estar in a sentence like this: "El maestro está explicando la lección."

Hi Quank. Jtaniel has offered you a present continuous version in Spanish because that's how it reads in English. The present continuous in Spanish uses "estar + gerundio verb form" - in this sentence "está + explicando."

There are cases where our present continuous would not necessarily translate to the Spanish continuous. For example your 11: "John and Mary, what are you studying?" Here the question does not necessarily refer to what John and Mary are currently doing at that particular moment, so the present tense in Spanish is fine and suggests the English interpretation "John and Mary, what do you study?" In your first sentence, however, "The teacher is explaining the lesson" refers to what the teacher is doing at that particular moment, so the ongoing nature of the action suits the present continuous form (estar + gerundio) in Spanish.

In light of this I think you could also change 10, 13, and 14 to this form, and 11 if you wanted to change the meaning to explicitly refer to a present ongoing action.

Does main and your say the same?

Sorry, I don't understand this. Could you rephrase?

Hi Jellonz, thanks for the answer. Daniela2041 is right about my level of study but I really appreciate your answer. I will soon start "estar + gerundio" so this knowledge is good to know! - JuanKr, Mar 20, 2017

No worries Quank. It's also worth mentioning that in many situations where we use -ing verbs or gerunds in English Spanish does not use -ndo gerundios. As a rule you should limit "estar + gerundio" to describing/stressing continuous action only. - jellonz, Mar 20, 2017

Also thanks for taking the time to show appreciation (so many new users don't). Daniela is an excellent teacher and there are many other native speakers and advanced students on SD who will be keen to help you with your studies. Cheers. - jellonz, Mar 20, 2017

Answer 3

Dear QuanK:

These folks that are answering your question are maybe not aware of where you are in your studies. It looks like you have just been introduced to the present tense of "ar" verbs.

There are a few problems, but not in you endings. They are OK.

They are trying to explain the use of the present progressive tense, where you use a form of the verb "estar" and the present participle (the "ando" or "iendo" endings) like "hablando" or trabajando".

I don't think you have had these as yet, so don't be concerned about them now. They will pop up soon enough in your studies, and we will be able to help you with any problems there. Right now just concentrate on your "ar" endings. The next thing you will be learning, I believe, will be your verbs ending in "er" and "ir."

The present tense in Spanish can be used to translate the English ideas of:

"He speaks"

"He is speaking"

"He does speak."

Here's an example of where the present tense can even be used to express a future event.

El Señor García viaja para España mañans. Mr. Garcia is travelling to Spain tomorrow.

Fair enough Dani, but if you were specifically referring to a continuous action in Spanish would you choose the present or the present progressive? That wasn't intended to be rhetorical, I mean it as a genuine question. - jellonz, Mar 19, 2017

If i were referring to action going on right now, I would use the present progressive, because I know how. A beginner has to be shown how to do it. The same goes for a progressive action in the past as in "yo estaba leyendo un libro cuando sonó el teléfo - Daniela2041, Mar 20, 2017

el teléfono. "estaba leyendo" being the expression in question. As a teacher, I bring my students gradually from one concept to another. Auto-didactic (self study) courses are designed to do the same. Whether studying with a teacher or self-study, you - Daniela2041, Mar 20, 2017

have to get your simple present tense first, then after learning "estar" and how to form present participles, you can move on to other things. - Daniela2041, Mar 20, 2017

Hi Daniela2041, thank you for your answer! It is very nice of you to taking the time helping me - JuanKr, Mar 20, 2017

Understood. Gracias Dani. - jellonz, Mar 20, 2017

Answer 4

Miss Burton, what are you explaining to the class?
¿La señorita Burton, que explicas a la clase?
This should be ¿Señorita Burton, qué explicas a la clase?

You use la or el prior to Señor, Señora and Señorita when you are referring to them in a sentence, but not if you are addressing them directly. BTW, you got this right in #14.

Example: Le di el libro a la Señorita Burton.
I gave the book to Señorita Burton.

Your answers for numbers 5 and 6 should be switched.

Overall, very nice job.

Good spotting Ken. - jellonz, Mar 19, 2017

Thank you, I really appreciate you answer! - JuanKr, Mar 20, 2017

Answer 5

Hello Quank;

Welcome to our SpanishDict community forum

You are doing very well as a beginner in learning Spanish. I did, however, notice this small but sgnificant mistake in question number 5 below:

5: Does he speak Spanish? - ¿Hablas español?

You wrote ¿Hablas This should actually written as ¿Habla español?

Habla is the correct conjugation for the 3rd person singular, ie he/she, you (formal Ud form)

In contrast, hablas refers only to the familiar you form used when talking to family, friends and children/young people* (if they are younger* than you)

One other point, there should be always be an accent on the word qué when used in questions!

I hope this helps