Quiero que nos escribas... vs. Quiero que escribas para nosotros...
"Quiero que nos escribas lo que pasó".
"Quiero que escribas para nosotros lo que pasó."
Which of these is correct?
How would you render these literally into English?
What is the best way to say this?
(My job is to translate these statements to English, conveying any incorrect connotations or awkwardness present. Question #3 is for my benefit.)
Thanks for your help!
14 Answers
"Quiero que nos escribas lo que pasó".
"Quiero que escribas para nosotros lo que pasó."
- Which of these is correct?
The second one is just a bit... weird. It sounds almost like you are entrusting that person with the task of writing a book that you'll keep your yourself in the end.
Or maybe it's just me.
You're right ... I can get that sense for the second one.
This guy's problem (one of them) is that he can't make up his mind how to say/ask the same thing from one sentence to the next. One minute it is "una cuchilla" and the next, "un cuchillo" ... Dime qué pasó/Dime lo que pasó/Dime qué fue que pasó/Dime qué fue lo que pasó ... and no, he doesn't "speak" with any punctuation (pauses, not much intonation, etc.)
Lazarus, you would have a "hay day" if I sent you this transcript!
Dime que fue lo que pasó?
Lol...that doesnt make any sense.
Dime que fue sounds almost nostalgia inducing.
Ohhhhh mi amor...dime que fue, tu y yo, el sol y la luna. Que pasó'
"Quiero que nos escribas lo que pasó".
"Quiero que escribas para nosotros lo que pasó."
- Which of these is correct?
The second one is just a bit... weird. It sounds almost like you are entrusting that person with the task of writing a book that you'll keep your yourself in the end.
Or maybe it's just me.
You're right ... I can get that sense for the second one.
This guy's problem (one of them) is that he can't make up his mind how to say/ask the same thing from one sentence to the next. One minute it is "una cuchilla" and the next, "un cuchillo" ... Dime qué pasó/Dime lo que pasó/Dime qué fue que pasó/Dime qué fue lo que pasó ... and no, he doesn't "speak" with any punctuation (pauses, not much intonation, etc.)
Lazarus, you would have a "hay day" if I sent you this transcript!
And the same for the American officer that speaks fluent "hillbilly." Can you imagine seeing that on paper, or even worse, having it read in your presence in front of your colleagues and in a court of law?
I'd love to see that! 
"Quiero que nos escribas lo que pasó".
"Quiero que escribas para nosotros lo que pasó."
- Which of these is correct?
The second one is just a bit... weird. It sounds almost like you are entrusting that person with the task of writing a book that you'll keep your yourself in the end.
Or maybe it's just me.
I suspect that you are aware of of this but, it is fairly difficult to translate "well formed" Spanish into English. It is more difficult to translate "ill formed" Spanish into English" and it is even more difficult to translate ill-formed Spanish into ill-formed English (that, somehow, reflects the awkwardness of the original in that of the target language.I am keenly aware of that, but that is my job on this particular case, and that is why I am here asking help of people more knowledgeable than I.
I appreciate you appreciating the difficulty of my task.
In a way though, sometimes it is fun to try to sound as stupid in English as this guy does in Spanish. If you could just hear the video (audio) or see the transcript!
I will receive a certain degree of satisfaction when this "bilingual" officer is presented in written form with what he sounds like to everyone else. Maybe then he won't be so cocky about his "bilingual" abilities.
And the same for the American officer that speaks fluent "hillbilly." Can you imagine seeing that on paper, or even worse, having it read in your presence in front of your colleagues and in a court of law'
I want you to write down for us what happened.
I translated the second sentence to mean
I want you to write for [all of] us what happened.Well, even in your sentences there is no difference.
and the second sentence is designating the subject as the speaker for everyone on behalf of what happened.Huh?
ohhhhhhhhhhh, I see what you mean....I had to read that three times, jeje
Well, that would be por nosotros...not a valid interpretation.
You mean to say: escíbelo por nosotros, write it for us, instead of us....
I suspect that you are aware of of this but, it is fairly difficult to translate "well formed" Spanish into English. It is more difficult to translate "ill formed" Spanish into English" and it is even more difficult to translate ill-formed Spanish into ill-formed English (that, somehow, reflects the awkwardness of the original in that of the target language.
"Quiero que nos escribas lo que pasó".
"Quiero que escribas para nosotros lo que pasó."
- Which of these is correct?
Both are correct.
- How would you render these literally into English?
I would like you to write (down) what happened for us.
I would like you to put in writing what happened for us.
Essentially there is no difference in the two sentences.
If there were no context, we might think the first sentence could mean: We want you to write (a letter to us) about what happened.
In this context, the sentences mean the same, it is of no importance to where you put the pronoun here, no difference of sense.
Really? I would think that the first sentence meant
I want you to write down for us what happened.
I translated the second sentence to mean
I want you to write for [all of] us what happened.
As in the first sentence is more can you do this, and the second sentence is designating the subject as the speaker for everyone on behalf of what happened.
Thank you, Heidita, for clearing that up for me.
It sounded a little awkward to me. Sometimes I don't know if something is truly incorrect or just colloquial.
The best way to say this would probably have been:
Queremos que nos pongas por escrito lo que pasó.
However, the sentence used is very common and we would use it often.
I often say to my students:
anda, escríbemelo.
if we are strict here, we might think I want them to write me* a letter*....but it is obvious I want them to put it down in writing.
"Quiero que nos escribas lo que pasó".
"Quiero que escribas para nosotros lo que pasó."
- Which of these is correct?
Both are correct.
- How would you render these literally into English?
I would like you to write (down) what happened for us.
I would like you to put in writing what happened for us.
Essentially there is no difference in the two sentences.
If there were no context, we might think the first sentence could mean: We want you to write (a letter to us) about what happened.
In this context, the sentences mean the same, it is of no importance to where you put the pronoun here, no difference of sense.
Sorry, Pablo. I should have thought about that. I wouldn't have wanted to answer that question without more context.
A police interrogator gives a suspect some paper and a pen and tells him to write out his version of what happened. They want him to put it in writing so he can't change his story later.
Number 1 sounds better for me. Here my try:
- I want you to write us what happened.
- I want you to write what happened for us.
Perhaps, it would help to have more context to give a better answer to question number 3.
"Quiero que nos escribas lo que pasó".
"Quiero que escribas para nosotros lo que pasó."
Which of these is correct?
How would you render these literally into English?
What is the best way to say this?
(My job is to translate these statements to English, conveying any incorrect connotations or awkwardness present. Question #3 is for my benefit.)
Thanks for your help!
The first one I would interpret as:
I want you to write [to] us what happened.
The 2nd one:
something like: I want you to write down for us what happened.
but you know that I'm not a native, just guessing so no #3.
