How far did your finger go in to her eye?

Question

1. What is the correct way to say this in Spanish?

2. The script I am translating has the guy, who is interpreting for his English-speaking counterpart, saying, "¿Qué mucho entró tu dedo en el ojo de ella? ¿Una pulgada? ¿Un pie'"

How would you translate that, literally'

Answer 1

Eddy,

After conferring with a local, degreed Spanish teacher whose answers I have found to be reliable, I must reverse myself concerning my earlier posts.

1. Nick and Vikingo are correct on the subjunctive issue. Nick pointed out that "Es interesante que ..." is one of those impersonal expressions that require the subjunctive mood. And as Vikingo stated, it is your judgment of the value (in this case, the degree of "interestingness") of the stated fact in the subordinate clause. Because the subordinate clause is a statement of concrete observation/declaration of finished results, it takes the imperfect subjunctive. Note, however, that expressions like "Es verdad que ..." and "Está claro que ..." do not take the subjunctive mood, but rather the indicative.

Update: I have just found this article in the Spanishdict.com Reference section that confirms this: Subjunctive

1. My earlier statements about "en que" were, in fact, my English mind coming out. As I pointed out before, your statement is best made by "Es interesante que ...". Depending on the context and the complexity of what you are trying to say, expressions like "porque", "ya que", and "dado que" can introduce a subordinate clause that is a statement of concrete observation/declaration of finished results, and they do not require the subjunctive.

I think I have understood this correctly. If I have made some errant conclusions, I certainly welcome correction from knowledgeable forers. As Ian noted recently on another thread, we learn when we put forth our ideas and subject them to trial, to find where they are errant, or to have them reinforced by learning why they are correct.

On the topic of another thread, if the proposed point system becomes a reality in the new Spanishdict.com, I think people will be less likely to put forth their ideas when they are not 100% sure of their accuracy, as I was not today, for fear of being downgraded in the point system. For true learning to occur, and for people to push themselves to reach beyond the level on which they are comfortable/confident, they must have a supportive environment in which they can fail "safely," and thereby learn how to avoid the same errors in the future.

Understand that in the classroom environment, where all are exposed to the same instruction, have the same opportunity, and are graded by the same standard, I believe in hard and fast grading standards, where those that excel are rewarded and those that don't are reprimanded. This site is not such an environment, but rather is open to all, and has a membership that is 100% voluntary, consisting 100% of those those that have no motive for being here other than to learn and improve, and to help others.

I favor the idea of our more learned members earning credibility ratings and even moderating privileges, but I think the supportive learning environment of this site will be compromised if the point system is punitive.

Answer 2

I don't think I've ever heard "qué mucho" in that context. Down here (Colombia) we would use "cuanto". ¿Cuánto entró tu dedo en el ojo?

Es interesante [del]en [/del]que todos los hispanohablantes dejaron las palabras "de ella".

Sorry, I hope you don't mind me correcting you, but I think it should be: Es interesante que todos los hispanohablantes dejaran las palabras "de ella." You have to use the subjunctive because "Es interesante que..." is an impersonal expression. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong about this.

I am not 100% sure either, Nick, but I thought Eddy was right in using the preterite indicative "dejaron." He was stating a fact that occurred in the past, not expressing a future uncertainty.

Edit: See correction in Post #12.

Answer 3

I am not 100% sure either, Nick, but I thought Eddy was right in using the preterite indicative "dejaron." He was stating a fact that occurred in the past, not expressing a future uncertainty.

Well I feel certain that the subjunctive is not required. I used "en que" to say "in that" and this may not be correct.

Hi Eddy. I understood what you meant by "en que," because I have an English mind; I think that is more of an English thought pattern, not that it is ungrammatical.

You might see that wording in Spanish in a comparative or clarifying context, something like:
"Yo no lo considero interesante en ninguna manera."
"Bueno, eso para ti, pero para mí, es interesante en que ninguno de los hispanohablantes nativos lo vio necesario agregar las palabras 'de ella'".

Again, the above may just be my English mind coming out. My point was just that I am not used to hearing "en que" in a stand-alone sentence, that is, without having a contrasting/clarifying purpose.

Edit: See correction in Post #12.

Answer 4

You might see that wording in Spanish in a comparative or clarifying context, something like:

"Yo no lo considero interesante en ninguna manera."

"Bueno, eso para ti, pero para mí, es interesante en que ninguno de los hispanohablantes nativos lo vio necesario agregar las palabras 'de ella'".

Again, the above may just be my English mind coming out. My point was just that I am not used to hearing "en que" in a stand-alone sentence, that is, without having a contrasting/clarifying purpose.

"En que" is also used when adding a clause to an infinitive structure that requires "en", such as "insistir en". You can say: "Insisto en la verdad de mi declaración," but - "Insisto en que comas la cena." (Note the use of subjunctive here, because you can not declare that the person will eat the dinner, you are simply insisting that they do so.)

Answer 5

I am not 100% sure either, Nick, but I thought Eddy was right in using the preterite indicative "dejaron." He was stating a fact that occurred in the past, not expressing a future uncertainty.

Well I feel certain that the subjunctive is not required. I used "en que" to say "in that" and this may not be correct.

The subjunctive is required, as Nick says. "Es interesante que" is a value judgment, and the point is not to DECLARE what's in the subordinate phrase, but to make a comment about it. In this case, that you "find it interesting".

Answer 6

Well I feel certain that the subjunctive is not required. I used "en que" to say "in that" and this may not be correct.

Answer 7

I don't think I've ever heard "qué mucho" in that context. Down here (Colombia) we would use "cuanto". ¿Cuánto entró tu dedo en el ojo?

Es interesante en que todos los hispanohablantes dejaron las palabras "de ella"

Sorry, I hope you don't mind me correcting you, but I think it should be: Es interesante que todos los hispanohablantes dejaran las palabras "de ella." You have to use the subjunctive because "Es interesante que..." is an impersonal expression. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong about this.

Answer 8

I don't think I've ever heard "qué mucho" in that context. Down here (Colombia) we would use "cuanto". ¿Cuánto entró tu dedo en el ojo?

Es interesante en que todos los hispanohablantes dejaron las palabras "de ella"

Answer 9

I don't think I've ever heard "qué mucho" in that context. Down here (Colombia) we would use "cuanto". ¿Cuánto entró tu dedo en el ojo'

Answer 10

Bah, I completely misunderstood this question, I apologize. Carry on.

Answer 11

¿Qué mucho entró tu dedo en el ojo de ella? ¿Una pulgada? ¿Un pie'?

Hi rocco, the form "qué mucho" is often used in Mexico I think. Over here we would say: ¿Cuánto le metiste el dedo en el ojo?

so, the best translation has already been supplied by yourself.

We can say : How far or how deep did you introduce your finger into her eye? an inch, a foot?

However, literally: How far/deep did your finger get into her eye.

Answer 12

1. What is the correct way to say this in Spanish?

2. The script I am translating has the guy, who is interpreting for his English-speaking counterpart, saying, "¿Qué mucho entró tu dedo en el ojo de ella'"

How would you translate that, literally?

If you want a literal (from a previous post-there is some discrepancy on what literal means) translation ask a literal translator. From our machine:

"¿What a lot entered your finger in the eye of her'"

If you mean literal as the opposite of word for word translation then your title seems to cover it, except that I would use into rather than in to.