Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Greek term or phrase:
Και πώς να μην ξεχάσει;
English translation:
How could he not forget? How could he not have forgotten?
Added to glossary by
Nick Lingris
May 30, 2011 10:21
13 yrs ago
Greek term
Και πως να μην ξεχάσει;
Non-PRO
Greek to English
Other
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Karamitros – the programme manager – has sacked Maria and nobody at work will speak to her, including Nasos, who she was just beginning to fall for. It was she who had stolen the silver picture frame.
She is reflecting to herself:-
If all this hadn’t happened…..και σιγά το σοβαρό πράγμα, δηλαδή [? call this a serious matter in other words. i.e. big deal?].
Maria tries to make an appointment with the boss of the whole outfit to explain but he’s abroad and unreachable. He loathes mobiles and only his wife has the phone number of his hotel. She – Mrs Dedes – is coming to the office tomorrow morning and his secretary asks Maria if she wants to see her.
Τι να την κάνει την Δέδε, she only gets on well with men.
Nasos eventually goes round to Maria’s house, which he has been to once before and where he recognised the stolen picture frame. He tells her he informed on her and told Karamitros everything. Πως δεν [it’s lucky that?] κατάλαβε αμέσως ότι μάνθανε για την κορνίζα από το Νάσο; With all that had happened she forgets he was here with her the previous evening. Και πως να μην ξεχάσει; [? and it was impossible for her not to have forgotten] Μήπως κάνανε και τίποτα; [Did the by any chance get up to something?] They ate an omelette and it was burnt.
She is reflecting to herself:-
If all this hadn’t happened…..και σιγά το σοβαρό πράγμα, δηλαδή [? call this a serious matter in other words. i.e. big deal?].
Maria tries to make an appointment with the boss of the whole outfit to explain but he’s abroad and unreachable. He loathes mobiles and only his wife has the phone number of his hotel. She – Mrs Dedes – is coming to the office tomorrow morning and his secretary asks Maria if she wants to see her.
Τι να την κάνει την Δέδε, she only gets on well with men.
Nasos eventually goes round to Maria’s house, which he has been to once before and where he recognised the stolen picture frame. He tells her he informed on her and told Karamitros everything. Πως δεν [it’s lucky that?] κατάλαβε αμέσως ότι μάνθανε για την κορνίζα από το Νάσο; With all that had happened she forgets he was here with her the previous evening. Και πως να μην ξεχάσει; [? and it was impossible for her not to have forgotten] Μήπως κάνανε και τίποτα; [Did the by any chance get up to something?] They ate an omelette and it was burnt.
Proposed translations
(English)
5 | How could he not forget? | Nick Lingris |
3 | And how could he possibly forget! | Kyriacos Georghiou |
Change log
May 30, 2011 10:21: changed "Kudoz queue" from "In queue" to "Public"
May 31, 2011 14:55: Nick Lingris changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/1121522">Hellinas's</a> old entry - "Και πως να μην ξεχάσει;"" to ""How could he not forget?""
Proposed translations
21 mins
Greek term (edited):
Και πώς να μην ξεχάσει;
Selected
How could he not forget?
They didn't do much. It was not a memorable evening.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks so much to all concerned. The note by Nick in the discussion was extremely helpful. i now understand this idiom."
16 mins
And how could he possibly forget!
Και πως να μην ξεχάσει; I think this is is equivalent to: Και πως να ξεχάσει!
Discussion
She forgets he was with her the previous evening. It is very natural for her to forget: nothing (memorable) happened.
See some other similar expressions: Πώς να μη θυμώνει; How could he not get angry? (It is natural for him to get angry, everyone would get angry in his place.)
Και πώς να μην κερδίσει; How could he not have won? (Victory was to be expected, he was a much stronger player.)