time in the future
Most discussions about time in Spanish involve the correct use of "hacer" or "llevar," and somehow in the mix I've forgotten how to say the following correctly.
The train leaves in 10 minutes.
I'm going to be here for an hour.
After three days, then you can jog.
My attempt:
El tren sale en 10 minutos.
Voy a estar aqui por una hora.
Después de tres días, puedes trotar.
Is that right? Are there other ways to say the same thing'
26 Answers
Let me post an explanation from the ex-director of the RAE on this:
...«Vuelvo en dos minutos», significa que tardo dos minutos en irme y volver; «vuelvo dentro de dos minutos» precisa que hasta dentro de dos minutos no volveré [...] Véase cómo titula el mismo gran periódico de antes, y en portada nada menos: «Solbes anuncia que en quince años los españoles no podrán cobrar sus pensiones». No es melonada intrascendente: me alteró el pulso, pensando que iba a quedarme sin mi PAR de viejo durante quince años; lo cual no hubiera sucedido de haber escrito inequívocamente el dichoso titular que el cierre de la espita acontecería dentro de quince años, lo cual me da un plazo muy razonable para perfeccionar la calvicie.
I'd say that "within 3 minutes" should be translated as "de aquí a 3 minutos", or something similar.
Fijáos, están de acuerdo.
Muchas gracias, Lazarus.
lazarus1907 said:
I agree with James.
>
I agree with James.
I'm glad Natasha asked about this, because I didn't know it, either. The reason for the confusion is obvious: dentro de in other contexts means inside, and the idea of inside time is familiar to English speakers. Furthermore, "en" and "in" are cognates, and it is very easy for us to think they are the same here.
To summarize, "en" means within a certain time, and "dentro de" means after a certain time has elapsed. Or, in other words, exactly the opposite of what an English speaker would expect!
I think the root of the problem is that "dentro de" can be translated as "within" in other cases:
ascensos dentro de la empresa = promotions within the company
© Collins Dictionary
¡Vale! Entiendo ahora. Muchas gracias.
¿Y podrémos convenir nuestro propio Academia del inglés, y corregir todos los errores que siempre se cometen en inglés? Esta Academia nunca va a terminar de trabajo, je je.
lazarus1907 said:
Natasha said:
OK, I believe you, but is this used differently somewhere in el mundo hispanohablante? I learned a long time ago that "dentro de" = "within." This could be completely wrong, but who's propagating the error?
It is a common mistake, but the Academies of Mexico, USA, Colombia... (22 in total) say that it is a mistake that should be avoided. If we use it wrong, we won't be able to understand centuries of literature where people use "dentro de" to mean "after". Read the comment I wrote above about the Academies, please.
>
Another source:
Dentro de Después de, cuando pase, en un periodo de: dentro de un rato, dentro de una semana, dentro de poco tiempo
Diccionario del español usual en México © El Colegio de México (Luis Fernando Lara).
Natasha said:
OK, I believe you, but is this used differently somewhere in el mundo hispanohablante? I learned a long time ago that "dentro de" = "within." This could be completely wrong, but who's propagating the error?
It is a common mistake, but the Academies of Mexico, USA, Colombia... (22 in total) say that it is a mistake that should be avoided. If we use it wrong, we won't be able to understand centuries of literature where people use "dentro de" to mean "after". Read the comment I wrote above about the Academies, please.
OK, I believe you, but is this used differently somewhere in el mundo hispanohablante? I learned a long time ago that "dentro de" = "within." This could be completely wrong, but who's propagating the error?
lazarus1907 said:
Natasha said:
IThe dictionary says: ' Dentro de tres meses -> inside three months
The dictionary is completely wrong!
dentro de.
- loc. prepos. U. para indicar el término de un período de tiempo visto desde la perspectiva del presente. Dentro de dos meses.
Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados
dentro de
2.2 (=después de) in
dentro de tres meses in three months, in three months' time
© Collins Dictionary
"In three months" doesn't mean any moment inside the three given months.
>
Natasha said:
IThe dictionary says: ' Dentro de tres meses -> inside three months
The dictionary is completely wrong!
dentro de.
1. loc. prepos. U. para indicar el término de un período de tiempo visto desde la perspectiva del presente. Dentro de dos meses.
Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados
dentro de
2.2 (=después de) in
dentro de tres meses in three months, in three months' time
© Collins Dictionary
"In three months" doesn't mean any moment inside the three given months. Why do people translate literally all the time?
The 22 Academies of Spanish in the world (including the RAE) say:
dentro de
...expresa el tiempo que falta para que algo suceda o tenga lugar: «Dentro de diez minutos estoy allí». El uso en estos casos de la preposición en está influido por el inglés y, a pesar de su extensión, debe ser evitado: «Si Raúl no aparece en cinco minutos, me largo».
In other words, the use of "en" to mean "within" is a copy from the English structures, and it is not correct Spanish.
Rob said:
:
So, if you wanted to say, "In around 10 days" you don't include the preposition "en" like En dentro de tres dias? I still try think in English and am convinced I should translate what I'm thinking verbatim.
I don't think you need "en" with it. Also, you accidentally put tres instead of diez. This phrase is still confusing me a bit, though. The dictionary says:
' Dentro de tres meses -> inside three months
Normally we would say within three months, not inside three months -- not sure what this meant. It seems to contradict the above explanation that "dentro de diez minutos" meant 10 minutes, NOT LESS THAN 10 minutes. Could Lazarus or Heidita clarify? (por favor)
People used to say: "take a constitutional," meaning a walk. But no one talks like this anymore . . .
lazarus1907 said:
Higiénico is anything intended to keep good health and prevent diseases, e.g. keep things clean. In this case, the "paseo" (stroll) is not for just to enjoy the views, but to keep yourself fit and healthy.
The word comes from Greek "hygies", and it means health.
>
Higiénico is anything intended to keep good health and prevent diseases, e.g. keep things clean. In this case, the "paseo" (stroll) is not for just to enjoy the views, but to keep yourself fit and healthy.
The word comes from Greek "hygies", and it means health.
Natasha said:
Y no sé de eso de paseos higiénicos, ¿Qué son'<
¡Eso digo yo!
No, no lo habría pensado tampoco. Le pedí a mi marido de , ¿Qué piensas que es? Pensó que es una parada del coche; no podía adivinarlo.
Hay que recordar que la palabra "footing" se usa en estas situaciones en inglés:
The contractor poured the concrete for the footing.
He lost his footing and slid down the slope.
No tiene nada que ver con paseos. Y no sé de eso de paseos higiénicos, ¿Qué son?
Heidita said:
Lazarus, está registrado en el DRAE escrito como una sola palabra y también como autoestop. Natasha: ¿Y lo de footing lo hubieras adivinado?
Mira cómo viene definido footing:
footing.
(Voz francesa, y esta con cambio de sentido del ingl. footing 'posición' ).
m. Paseo higiénico que se hace corriendo con velocidad moderada al aire libre.
¿Y por qué higiénico?
>
