Dec 11, 2010 20:46
13 yrs ago
7 viewers *
Spanish term

subjunctive mood

Spanish to English Other Other a sentence in a textbook
Dame la bolsa menos pesada que tengas, no pueda levantar nada pesado.

I don't quite understand why 'tengas' is used here (subjuntivo), and not 'tienes' (indicativo).
Proposed translations (English)
4 +4 it is a non-specific reference
4 +1 Give me the lightest of your bags

Discussion

Jairo Payan Dec 12, 2010:
I agree with Paul's explanation. The lightest bag has not been identified.
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro Dec 11, 2010:
BTW For the 3rd verb (no pueda) the indicative (no puedo) should be used, as the speaker is stating the fact that he cannot lift weight.
Paul Merriam Dec 11, 2010:
Identification If the indicative were used, it would have been established that you have the lightest of multiple previously-identified bags and that this bag has been identified. In English that would be "Give the lightest bag, which you have." With the subjunctive, it means that the lightest bag has not been identified (by the asker). In English that would be "Give me the lightest bag you have."
Frensp Dec 11, 2010:
Perhaps this will help @Utilizamos también el Subjuntivo en las oraciones subordinadas, cuando el verbo principal influye sobre el verbo subordinado. Estos verbos pueden expresar: deseos, dudas, órdenes, consejos y reacciones emotivas."

http://babelnet.sbg.ac.at/carlitos/ayuda/presente_de_subjunt...

Proposed translations

+4
18 mins
Selected

it is a non-specific reference

This is a tricky one. I'd say it falls into the "non-specific reference" category, making if equivalent to "whichever/whatever" Example: whichever traducción Ingles - Espanol : whichever a pron 1 (=no matter which) whichever of the methods you choose cualquiera de los métodos que escojas, ...
diccionario.reverso.net/ingles-espanol/whichever - Similares. Brian Steel gives an example in his book <<Translation from Spanish: An Introductory Course>> published by Sociedad General Española de Librería, including: Dame el aparato o como se llame (Give me the mahine or whatever you call it). The "que tengas" ("que" also often precipitates the use of the subjunctive) is the rough equivalent of "lo qur haya" or "lo que sea". I hope this helps!
Peer comment(s):

agree neilmac : yes, a sort of hypothesising nuance often hard to grasp
23 mins
Thanks Neil. "Perchance" it is. I could be understood as "The lightest bag you might happen to have..."
agree Jairo Payan
4 hrs
Cheers and thanks, Jairo.
agree Beatriz Ramírez de Haro : Good!
11 hrs
Thanks Beatriz, especially for mentioning the "pueda/puedo" error at the end.
agree Charles Davis : Yes; some grammarians explain it differently, but I think this is the essential issue: what they called "indefinite antecedent" when I was at school (some time ago!).
14 hrs
Thanks Charles. "Indefinite antecedent" is another term for this "cajon de sastre" use of the subjuctive. What never ceases to amaze me is that native speakers, whatever their level of schooling, never make errors with the subjunctive.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Muchas gracias por sus explicasiones. Ya todo está más o menos claro!"
+1
6 mins
Spanish term (edited): Dame la bolsa menos pesada que tengas

Give me the lightest of your bags

...because I can't carry heavy loads

(secuencia de tiempos en ES)

:)
Peer comment(s):

agree neilmac : "the lightest you might just perchance happen to have" :-)
35 mins
Thanks neilmac!
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