How would you say "We got to work"

Question

Hi,
How would you say "(after that)..we got to work".

Answer 1

James Santiago said:

Eddy said:

Funnily enough, in the East End of London, samdie's translation is correct. We got to work colloquially means "we must work or we have to work".

It's used that way in the US, too, but it is considered uneducated speech.

However, I think everyone has missed the intended meaning here, which is neither "we have to work" nor "we arrived at work," but rather "we set to work." The latter would be "Nos pusimos a trabajar."

Thanks everyone,

Sorry about the lack of context. That was my first post ever (on any forum). I'll try to be clearer next time.

Indeed, I was asking about "we set to work".

thanks again

Answer 2

James Santiago said:

Gracias. ¿Serías tan amable de traducir los siguientes ejemplos? Mom said we get to go to the movies tomorrow!

If he comes home by then, we'll all get to spend Christmas together.

At first his father wouldn't allow it, but in the end he got to buy the car.

I can't think of a better (natural) way other than using "poder" for these sentences:

Mamá dijo que podremos ir al cine mañana.
Si viene a casa para entonces, podremos pasar las Navidades juntos / disfrutaremos las Navidades juntos.
Al principio su padre no se lo permitía, pero al final se pudo comprar el coche.

Let me think about it.

Answer 3

It is hard, and I think you need to rephrase it depending on the sentence. It could be something like "tener la oportunidad de hacer algo", "ponerse por fin a hacer algo", etc.

Gracias. ¿Serías tan amable de traducir los siguientes ejemplos?

Mom said we get to go to the movies tomorrow!

If he comes home by then, we'll all get to spend Christmas together.

At first his father wouldn't allow it, but in the end he got to buy the car.

Answer 4

James Santiago said:

After getting certified, we got to work on the technical side frequently. Indeed! I hadn't thought of that one. And this is a construction I have always struggled with, both in Japanese (in which there is no good way to express it) and in Spanish (in which I have yet to find a way).

For non-native English speakers, "get to do something" means that you are able to do something pleasurable. It is that last word that is the catch. Of course, we could translate Natasha's example as "...pudimos trabajar...," but that doesn't tell the reader that we were looking forward to the work, that it was desirable to us.

It is hard, and I think you need to rephrase it depending on the sentence. It could be something like "tener la oportunidad de hacer algo", "ponerse por fin a hacer algo", etc.

At least I can't think of anything better. I am not a translator after all.

Answer 5

After getting certified, we got to work on the technical side frequently.

Indeed! I hadn't thought of that one. And this is a construction I have always struggled with, both in Japanese (in which there is no good way to express it) and in Spanish (in which I have yet to find a way).

For non-native English speakers, "get to do something" means that you are able to do something pleasurable. It is that last word that is the catch. Of course, we could translate Natasha's example as "...pudimos trabajar...," but that doesn't tell the reader that we were looking forward to the work, that it was desirable to us.

Answer 6

James Santiago said:

However, I think everyone has missed the intended meaning here, which is neither "we have to work" nor "we arrived at work," but rather "we set to work." The latter would be "Nos pusimos a trabajar."

We have at least four possible interpretations here, all valid.

After resting in the shade and drinking some water, we all got back to work.
After the police cleared the accident, we got to work just fine.
After this we got to work or the teacher gonna get us good. (non-standard)
After getting certified, we got to work on the technical side frequently.

I am getting tired of all these discussions without context . . .

Answer 7

Eddy said:

Funnily enough, in the East End of London, samdie's translation is correct. We got to work colloquially means "we must work or we have to work".

It's used that way in the US, too, but it is considered uneducated speech.

However, I think everyone has missed the intended meaning here, which is neither "we have to work" nor "we arrived at work," but rather "we set to work." The latter would be "Nos pusimos a trabajar."

Answer 8

Funnily enough, in the East End of London, samdie's translation is correct. We got to work colloquially means "we must work or we have to work".

Answer 9

We gotta get more context!

Answer 10

Natasha said:

je je -- we need more context!! I thought he was saying llegamos al trabajo!

Hehe, true. We got to work = We arrive to work.

Answer 11

samdie said:

Tenemos que trabajar.

je je -- we need more context!! I thought he was saying llegamos al trabajo!

Answer 12

Tenemos que trabajar.