Why a single english phase yields multiple spanish translations

Question

Excuse me can you help me find the street Warwick

Translates
1. Perdone puede ayudarme a encontrar la calle Warwick
2. Dispenseme le puedo me ayuda encuentro la calle Warwick
3. Excuseme puede usted ayudarme a encontrar la calle Warwick

Translations 1 & 3 are understandable it is number 2 that seems foriegn

Answer 1

omar said:

Thanks everyoneI aware that I left out the punctuation but how do you include spanish punctuations without using MS Word and then cut/paste. Finally the second translations uses the word Dispenseme not Disculpeme which seem to be an incorrect translation of my original english phrase.

Omar, dispensar is not used in Spain wanting to say "dusculpar". but it is used in other Hispanic countries.

In Spain, dispensar can sometimes be heard by elderly people, quite old -fashioned, might also be regional.
dispensar has this definition:

dispensar.

1. tr. Dar, conceder, otorgar, distribuir. Dispensar mercedes, elogios.

2. tr. Expender, despachar un medicamento.

3. tr. Eximir de una obligación, o de lo que se quiere considerar como tal. U. t. c. prnl.

4. tr. Absolver de falta leve ya cometida, o de lo que se quiere considerar como tal.

Answer 2

omar said:

Thanks everyone I aware that I left out the punctuation but how do you include spanish punctuations without using MS Word and then cut/paste. Finally the second translations uses the word Dispenseme not Disculpeme which seem to be an incorrect translation of my original english phrase.

No. In this context (once you clean up the grammar), "dispensar" is quite similar to "disculpar".

Answer 3

Not that I'm aware of. Maybe someone can direct us to one. But in the meantime, here are some quick tips for you...
Alt +130 é
Alt + 160 á
Alt + 161 í
Alt + 162 ó
Alt + 163 ú
Alt + 164 ñ

omar said:

Carla said:

Hold down ALT + 173 for ¡ and Alt + 168 for ¿.

Thanks CarlaIs there a list of these commands that can be printed

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Answer 4

Carla said:

Hold down ALT + 173 for ¡ and Alt + 168 for ¿.

Thanks Carla
Is there a list of these commands that can be printed

Answer 5

Hold down ALT + 173 for ¡ and Alt + 168 for ¿.

Answer 6

Thanks everyone
I aware that I left out the punctuation but how do you include spanish punctuations without using MS Word and then cut/paste. Finally the second translations uses the word Dispenseme not Disculpeme which seem to be an incorrect translation of my original english phrase.

Answer 7

Es correcto.

I have often wonder the same thing, (why in spanish an idea can be expressed in several different ways). But as Lazarus explained, in English a similar thing happens where the same idea is often expressed in several different ways.

Melvinhc

Answer 8

lazarus1907 said:

Well... none of them are properly written in Spanish... or in English! Punctuation is crucial sometimes.Perdone: ¿puede ayudarme a encontrar la calle Warwick'Perdóneme: ¿puede ayudarme a encontrar la calle Warwick'Disculpe: ¿puede ayudarme a encontrar la calle Warwick'Discúlpeme: ¿puede ayudarme a encontrar la calle Warwick'So far all four sentences are pretty much the same. But your 2nd sentence says:Excuse me: Can I to you he helps me I find the street Warwick'The grammar is just wrong.

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Answer 9

Well, Lazarus dealt with the grammatical problems of your 2nd sentence. As for the general question of why there are different ways of saying (pretty much) the same thing. Pick any sentence you want in English and I (or someone) can probably give you three or four other ways to get the same idea across. The "excuse me" of your English example could also be: "Pardon me",'Sorry to bother/trouble/inconvenience you but...", "If you don't mind,...", "Would you mind...", "If it's not too much trouble,..." etc., etc.

Answer 10

Well... none of them are properly written in Spanish... or in English! Punctuation is crucial sometimes.

Perdone: ¿puede ayudarme a encontrar la calle Warwick?
Perdóneme: ¿puede ayudarme a encontrar la calle Warwick?
Disculpe: ¿puede ayudarme a encontrar la calle Warwick?
Discúlpeme: ¿puede ayudarme a encontrar la calle Warwick?

So far all four sentences are pretty much the same. But your 2nd sentence says:

Excuse me: Can I to you he helps me I find the street Warwick'

The grammar is just wrong.