Translation from French into English (phrasal verbs)

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Hela  #329103  Wed, 14 Feb 07 07:19 AM

Dear teachers,

I know that this is not a forum about translation but since some of you are familiar with both languages, I would be grateful if you could correct my exercice. I know that Wordreference is a site that deals with translation but they won't correct my posts. The webmaster there is not as friendly as yours.

Here is my work:

1) J'ai rencontré Brandon hier au cinéma.
I came across/ran across Brandon yesterday at the cinema.

2) Retrouvons-nous à 10h00 devant la bibliothèque.
Let’s meet / meet up at 10 o’clock in front of the library.

3) Tu as entendu ce bruit? Je crois quequelqu'un s'est fait renverser.
Have you heard tha tnoise? I think that somebody has been knocked over.

4) Je n'ai plus d'argent. Pourrais tu m'en prêter?
I haven’t got any money left / I'm running out of money. Would / Could you lend me some?

5) Je veux bien te déposer chez Sonya mais alors on partage les frais.
I’m ready / willing to / I agree to drop you off at Sonya’s but then we share out / split up the expenses.

6) Je ne pourrai pas venir ce soir, j'ai un rendez-vous avec Tash.
I won’t be able to come round tonight / to make it this evening, I’ve got an appointment with Tash / I've arranged to meet with Tash.

7) J'ai rendez-vous chez le docteur à 13h00, mais on peut mettre quelque chose au point après!

I have an appointment at the doctor’s at 1 pm, but we can work something out / fix something up later on.

8) Dans quel bâtiment est notre partiel? Je n'en sais rien, il faut que je me renseigne.
In which building do we have to write/sit our exam? I have no idea, I've got to find out.

9) J'essaie de trouver une solution à ce problème.
I am trying to figure out this problem / find out a solution to this problem.

10) Je n'ai rien à voir avec cette histoire! Réglez ce problème entre vous!
I have nothing to do with that story! Just settle the problem yourselves / Sort the problem out by yourselves.

11) Ils ont inventé une histoire invraisemblable.
They have made up an incredible story.

12) Quand il est enfin arrivé à la soirée, la plupart de ses amis étaient déjà partis.
When he finally showed/turned up / loomed up (?) at the party, most of the guests had already left.

13) Ce n'est pas facile de se tenir au courant de tout ce qui est publié.
It’s not easy to keep up with everything that is published.

14) Un week-end à la mer ou une soirée à l'opéra ? A toi de décider.
A weekend by the sea or an evening/night at the opera? It is up to you.

15) Il y avait un énorme fatras à nettoyer après le départ des invités.
There was an awful mess to tidy/clean/clear up after the guests had left / after the party (?).

Thank you very much for your help.
Hela

  
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Annvan  #329109  Wed, 14 Feb 07 07:28 AM
Sorry my French isn't good enough to check your answers thoroughly, but I would say - watch out for the word order in your first two sentences. References to time are usually either at the end or beginning of sentences or phrases, e.g.
1. I came across Brandon at the cinema yesterday.
2. Let's meet in front of the library at 10 o'clock.
  
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CalifJim  #329171  Wed, 14 Feb 07 10:46 AM

Here are my attempts.  They are sometimes not very literal.  If they differ from yours, it doesn't mean yours are wrong.

1) J'ai rencontré Brandon hier au cinéma.
I came across/ran across Brandon yesterday at the cinema.
I ran into Brandon at the movies yesterday.
(I wouldn't say came across.  I use that for inanimate objects.)
(English usually mentions place before time.)

2) Retrouvons-nous à 10h00 devant la bibliothèque.
Let’s meet / meet up at 10 o’clock in front of the library.
Let's get together in front of the library at 10 o'clock.

3) Tu as entendu ce bruit? Je crois quequelqu'un s'est fait renverser.
Have you heard tha tnoise? I think that somebody has been knocked over.
Did you hear that noise?  It sounds like somebody got run over.  (???)
(renverser can refer to a car accident, can't it?)

4) Je n'ai plus d'argent. Pourrais tu m'en prêter?
I haven’t got any money left / I'm running out of money. Would / Could you lend me some?
I've run out of money.  Can you lend me some?
(I wouldn't say running out.)

5) Je veux bien te déposer chez Sonya mais alors on partage les frais.
I’m ready / willing to / I agree to drop you off at Sonya’s but then we share out / split up the expenses.
I don't mind dropping you off at Sonya's as long as we share the expenses.
I'd be glad to drop you off at Sonya's, but in that case we should share the expenses.
(I wouldn't say share out, just share.)

6) Je ne pourrai pas venir ce soir, j'ai un rendez-vous avec Tash.
I won’t be able to come round tonight / to make it this evening, I’ve got an appointment with Tash / I've arranged to meet with Tash.
I can't come over tonight.  I'm meeting Tash.
(come round is more British, so I don't use that.)

7) J'ai rendez-vous chez le docteur à 13h00, mais on peut mettre quelque chose au point après!

I have an appointment at the doctor’s at 1 pm, but we can work something out / fix something up later on.

I have a doctor's appointment at 1 o'clock, but we can work something out later.
(I wouldn't use fix up.)

8) Dans quel bâtiment est notre partiel? Je n'en sais rien, il faut que je me renseigne.
In which building do we have to write/sit our exam? I have no idea, I've got to find out.
In which building do we take the exam?  I have no idea.  I (still) have to find out.

9) J'essaie de trouver une solution à ce problème.
I am trying to figure out this problem / find out a solution to this problem.
I'm trying to solve this problem. / I'm working on this problem.
(I wouldn't use find out a solution, just find.)


10) Je n'ai rien à voir avec cette histoire! Réglez ce problème entre vous!
I have nothing to do with that story! Just settle the problem yourselves / Sort the problem out by yourselves.
I've got nothing to do with it!  Work it out for yourselves!
(story doesn't fit this context.)

11) Ils ont inventé une histoire invraisemblable.
They have made up an incredible story.
They made up an implausible story.

12) Quand il est enfin arrivé à la soirée, la plupart de ses amis étaient déjà partis.
When he finally showed/turned up / loomed up (?) at the party, most of the guests had already left.
By the time he finally [showed up at / made it to] the party, most of his friends had already left.  (not loomed)

13) Ce n'est pas facile de se tenir au courant de tout ce qui est publié.
It’s not easy to keep up with everything that is published.
(Same.)

14) Un week-end à la mer ou une soirée à l'opéra ? A toi de décider.
A weekend by the sea or an evening/night at the opera? It is up to you.
A weekend at the beach or an evening at the opera?  It's up to you.

15) Il y avait un énorme fatras à nettoyer après le départ des invités.
There was an awful mess to tidy/clean/clear up after the guests had left / after the party (?).
There was a huge mess to clean up after the guests left.

CJ

  
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pieanne  #329185  Wed, 14 Feb 07 11:20 AM
 CalifJim wrote:

Here are my attempts.  They are sometimes not very literal.  If they differ from yours, it doesn't mean yours are wrong.

1) J'ai rencontré Brandon hier au cinéma.
I came across/ran across Brandon yesterday at the cinema.
I ran into Brandon at the movies yesterday.
(I wouldn't say came across.  I use that for inanimate objects.)
(English usually mentions place before time.)

2) Retrouvons-nous à 10h00 devant la bibliothèque.
Let’s meet / meet up at 10 o’clock in front of the library.
Let's get together in front of the library at 10 o'clock. Couldn't "meet" work too?

3) Tu as entendu ce bruit? Je crois quequelqu'un s'est fait renverser.
Have you heard tha tnoise? I think that somebody has been knocked over.
Did you hear that noise?  It sounds like somebody got run over.  (???)
(renverser can refer to a car accident, can't it?)
Yes, it mostly does

4) Je n'ai plus d'argent. Pourrais tu m'en prêter?
I haven’t got any money left / I'm running out of money. Would / Could you lend me some?
I've run out of money.  Can you lend me some?
(I wouldn't say running out.)

5) Je veux bien te déposer chez Sonya mais alors on partage les frais.
I’m ready / willing to / I agree to drop you off at Sonya’s but then we share out / split up the expenses.
I don't mind dropping you off at Sonya's as long as we share the expenses. I prefer this one
I'd be glad to drop you off at Sonya's, but in that case we should share the expenses.
(I wouldn't say share out, just share.)

6) Je ne pourrai pas venir ce soir, j'ai un rendez-vous avec Tash.
I won’t be able to come round tonight / to make it this evening, I’ve got an appointment with Tash / I've arranged to meet with Tash.
I can't come over tonight.  I'm meeting Tash. This would be more "je ne peux pas venir"
(come round is more British, so I don't use that.)

7) J'ai rendez-vous chez le docteur à 13h00, mais on peut mettre quelque chose au point après!

I have an appointment at the doctor’s at 1 pm, but we can work something out / fix something up later on.

I have a doctor's appointment at 1 o'clock, but we can work something out later.
(I wouldn't use fix up.)

8) Dans quel bâtiment est notre partiel? Je n'en sais rien, il faut que je me renseigne.
In which building do we have to write/sit our exam? I have no idea, I've got to find out.
In which building do we take the exam?  I have no idea.  I (still) have to find out.

9) J'essaie de trouver une solution à ce problème.
I am trying to figure out this problem / find out a solution to this problem.
I'm trying to solve this problem. / I'm working on this problem.
(I wouldn't use find out a solution, just find.)


10) Je n'ai rien à voir avec cette histoire! Réglez ce problème entre vous!
I have nothing to do with that story! Just settle the problem yourselves / Sort the problem out by yourselves.
I've got nothing to do with it!  Work it out for yourselves!
(story doesn't fit this context.)

11) Ils ont inventé une histoire invraisemblable.
They have made up an incredible story.
They made up an implausible story.

12) Quand il est enfin arrivé à la soirée, la plupart de ses amis étaient déjà partis.
When he finally showed/turned up / loomed up (?) at the party, most of the guests had already left.
By the time he finally [showed up at / made it to] the party, most of his friends had already left.  (not loomed)

13) Ce n'est pas facile de se tenir au courant de tout ce qui est publié.
It’s not easy to keep up with everything that is published.
(Same.)

14) Un week-end à la mer ou une soirée à l'opéra ? A toi de décider.
A weekend by the sea or an evening/night at the opera? It is up to you.
A weekend at the beach or an evening at the opera?  It's up to you.

15) Il y avait un énorme fatras à nettoyer après le départ des invités.
There was an awful mess to tidy/clean/clear up after the guests had left / after the party (?).
There was a huge mess to clean up after the guests left.

CJ

Your understanding of French sounds perfect, Calif!  Wink [;)]

  
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I'm glad to help, but I'm not a native! And please excuse my typos...
CalifJim  #329444  Wed, 14 Feb 07 10:46 PM
Thanks, Anne!

Re: 2.  Yes, meet is fine.  I thought Hela might enjoy another phrasal verb there.
Re: 3.  I guess I'm more used to se faire écraser.  Are the two synonymous?  Or have I got a tin ear for French on this one?  Smile [:)]
Re: 6.  You're absolutely correct.  To be more literal it should be I won't be able to.  Still, can is merely the non-past form of can-could, so it can be used with future meaning, e.g., Can you go with me tomorrow / next month / next year?

Jim


  
pieanne  #329939  Fri, 16 Feb 07 04:07 PM

Both "se faire écraser" and "se faire renverser" are OK. The latter may be less severe, for the former you would expect some purple pulp on the asphalt... Sad [:(]  Your ear hasn't turned to tin!

As to "can", you're quite right, of course! It's just that in French we can say both "je ne peux pas/je ne pourrai pas passer ce soir", I guess that's why I would have translated a future by a future, and a present by a present!

A.

  
Hela  #330282  Sat, 17 Feb 07 11:03 AM

Many thanks to both of you Smile [:)]

In sentence 3, is "knocked over" wrong then?

Is there a nuance in French between "être capable de" et "pouvoir"?

Kindest regards,

Hela

  
pieanne  #330295  Sat, 17 Feb 07 11:59 AM
 Hela wrote:

Many thanks to both of you Smile [:)]

In sentence 3, is "knocked over" wrong then? I wouldn't use it, but ask Calif!

Is there a nuance in French between "être capable de" et "pouvoir"? We mostly use "pouvoir" (note that the Belgians largely favour "savoir" in that sense!  Big Smile [:D] ). We use "être capable" when we want to stress the fact that the person is really /or not able to do something.

You might be interested to know that there's an expression widely used among (young) teenagers; it's "t'es cap' / pas cap' " (for "capable", of course), but if I'm not wrong they're using it as a dare.

There's even a song with that title, the link is below

Kindest regards,

Hela

[link]

  
CalifJim  #330382  Sat, 17 Feb 07 05:41 PM
In sentence 3, is "knocked over" wrong then?
Yes, I'd say it's wrong.  If you want the idea of a car running into a person, it's get run over (or possibly get run down).

Is there a nuance in French between "être capable de" et "pouvoir"?
I think Pieanne has answered this.  I would have said that the first has to do with one's inner power of character to do something, almost like "have the guts to", "have the kind of character required to", and the second is a more ordinary ability, but I may be wrong.

Is pas cap replacing chiche for a dare? I wonder.

CJ