comenzaba a llover

Question

Buenas,
I'm trying to right this sentence about the influence of "los reyes catolicos" in Spain. I wrote a sentence in Spanish but I need someone to let me know if it makes sense.

"La influencia gradual de los Reyes Católicos se puede describir como las nubes de lluvia que poco a poco habitaba a todo el España y comenzaba a llover a los árabes y los judíos para limpiar el país de estos religiones y sus culturas."

I'm not sure if this makes sense and i'm not sure if the grammar tenses are correct. I get confused with past tenses. Can somebody please help me with this?

thanks in advance

Answer 1

jeff said:

I think you've got the grammer correct now, but I'm wondering about the idea that Spain was "cleaned" of Jewish and Arabic cultures. I hate to be the one to sound the political correctness alarm, but it sounds prejudiced to my ear. Maybe "wash away" or "sweep away" would fulfill your metaphor without making it sound like it equates Jews and Arabs with dirt.

I took Sheila's sentence to be written from the viewpoint of the kings, and from that viewpoint, it most certainly was all about cleansing the country. The sentence is in no way condoning that perspective, merely presenting it, so I see no need to change it for PC reasons. After all, she is talking about how they spread their influence throughout the land so as to be able to achieve their objectives.

Answer 2

so how does "arrastrar" sound?

"...para arrastrar de estas religiones y sus culturas del pais"

Answer 3

Thanks, Lazarus. It didn't look write when I rote it.

lazarus1907 said:

Jeff, I won't argue about your English, but "grammer" is not an English word, but a common misspelling due to the absurd English spelling rules.

>

Answer 4

Jeff, I won't argue about your English, but "grammer" is not an English word, but a common misspelling due to the absurd English spelling rules.

Answer 5

True, I don't want to make them sound like dirt. How about "...para arrastrar de estas religiones y sus culturas del pais"'''

Answer 6

I think you've got the grammer correct now, but I'm wondering about the idea that Spain was "cleaned" of Jewish and Arabic cultures. I hate to be the one to sound the political correctness alarm, but it sounds prejudiced to my ear. Maybe "wash away" or "sweep away" would fulfill your metaphor without making it sound like it equates Jews and Arabs with dirt.

Answer 7

:

La influencia gradual de los Reyes Católicos se puede describir como las nubes de lluvia que poco a poco cubrían toda España y comenzaban a llover sobre los árabes y los judíos para limpiar el país de estas religiones y culturas."

The metaphor about the clouds raining over the people is... bold, and imaginative, but I think that making the verb transitive is going too far.

I would have said "se acumularon" and "comenzaron", but that's just me.

Answer 8

Perfect!!!! It sounds so much better thanks alot!

Answer 9

I'm trying to right this sentence

Did it capsize?

I might change "habitaba a" to "se acumulaban arriba de." Clouds usually gather, rather than inhabit. Also, nubes is plural, so the verb must be plural. Same with comenzaban.

España is feminine, so I'd say "toda la España."

"...llover a los árabes y a los judíos..."

Religión is feminine, so "estas religiones."

Also, I don't think the article is necessary in "las nubes."

"La influencia gradual de los Reyes Católicos se puede describir como nubes de lluvia que poco a poco se acumulaban arriba de toda la España y comenzaban a llover a los árabes y a los judíos para limpiar el país de estas religiones y sus culturas."

Hope this helps.