This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. Spanish to English
  3. Poetry & Literature

Ayer estuve vagando casi todo el día, medio feliz.

English translation: I spent most of yesterday out wandering about, fairly / reasonably happy

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:Ayer estuve vagando casi todo el día, medio feliz.
English translation:I spent most of yesterday out wandering about, fairly / reasonably happy
Entered by: Noni Gilbert Riley

09:02 Mar 14, 2011
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
Spanish term or phrase: Ayer estuve vagando casi todo el día, medio feliz.
ayer estuve vagando casi todo el día, medio feliz. Hoy permaneci en casa.
AD27
Local time: 15:53
I spent most of yesterday out wandering about, reasonably happy
Explanation:
Medio feliz is what I'm not so sure about. It is an odd thing to say, and it's difficult without more context to know if it is a negative comment, or not really.
Selected response from:

Noni Gilbert Riley
Spain
Local time: 17:53
Grading comment
Thank you
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +5I spent most of yesterday out wandering about, reasonably happy
Noni Gilbert Riley
3 +2Yesterday I was out wandering almost the whole day, sort of happy.
Bubo Coroman (X)
4Yesterday I wandered around nearly all day, fairly happy.
Lisa McCarthy
4"Yesterday I was roaming around nearly the whole day, feeling quite happy"
Rosmu
4I spent most of yesterday roaming around, feeling pretty good.
Mhairi Fiona Bain Reeves
3Yesterday I wandered about contentedly almost all day.
Evans (X)
3I spent most of yesterday wandering about, happy as Larry
Marian Vieyra
3Yesterday I spent most of the day wandering around, quite happy.
Lorraine Bathurst


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Yesterday I wandered about contentedly almost all day.


Explanation:
I think you could render 'medio feliz' as contentedly, kind of okay, not miserable not elated...

More context would help.

Evans (X)
Local time: 16:53
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 72
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
I spent most of yesterday out wandering about, reasonably happy


Explanation:
Medio feliz is what I'm not so sure about. It is an odd thing to say, and it's difficult without more context to know if it is a negative comment, or not really.

Noni Gilbert Riley
Spain
Local time: 17:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 80
Grading comment
Thank you

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Charles Davis: I think this is closest; I agree we need more context, but "medio feliz" definitely sounds a bit grudging and well short of real contentment, I feel. Not too bad. As though the person had been really miserable but cheered up a bit yesterday.
36 mins
  -> Thanks Charles. I suppose we could use an oh so English litotes and say "not unhappy"!
agree  MedTrans&More: more context from the asker pls!!
5 hrs
  -> Quite! Thanks
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: think "reasonably happy" is good here and sentence flows well
5 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  eski: Nice work, Noni! eski
13 hrs
  -> Thank you very much!
agree  Jenni Lukac (X)
1 day 13 hrs
  -> Thanks Jenni
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
I spent most of yesterday wandering about, happy as Larry


Explanation:
...if the context indicates that the 'medio feliz' part is positive

Marian Vieyra
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:53
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 47
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Yesterday I spent most of the day wandering around, quite happy.


Explanation:
Another variation


'...quite happily.' would be more standard English - quite happy is colloquial.

Lorraine Bathurst
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:53
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Yesterday I was out wandering almost the whole day, sort of happy.


Explanation:
I put "out" because he says that today he stayed at home.

Bubo Coroman (X)
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 151

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  SilviaInt: I think 'sort of happy' is the closest to 'medio feliz'
2 hrs
  -> thanks so much Silvia, kind regards! - Deborah
agree  Claudia Luque Bedregal
7 hrs
  -> many thanks Claudia, kind regards! - Deborah
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Yesterday I wandered around nearly all day, fairly happy.


Explanation:
Another variation to choose from :)

It would be nice to see more of the poem though, to get a better idea of register.

Lisa McCarthy
Spain
Local time: 17:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 104
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
"Yesterday I was roaming around nearly the whole day, feeling quite happy"


Explanation:
Yesterday I was roaming around nearly the whole day, feeling quite happy. Today I’m staying at home.

Rosmu
Spain
Local time: 17:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 60
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
I spent most of yesterday roaming around, feeling pretty good.


Explanation:
Informal UK English. The original sentence has a similar informal tone to it.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day1 hr (2011-03-15 10:47:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Instead of "wandering" or "roaming" another good option would be "meandering."

Mhairi Fiona Bain Reeves
Local time: 17:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search