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  3. Education / Pedagogy

aguas pasadas no mueven molino

English translation: You never miss the water till the well has run dry

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:aguas pasadas no mueven molino
English translation:You never miss the water till the well has run dry
Entered by: Diana Arbiser

21:40 May 20, 2008
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Education / Pedagogy
Spanish term or phrase: aguas pasadas no mueven molino
Es decir, quiero ser claro como el agua para no estar, precisamente, *entre dos aguas* ni quedarnos complacientes ante las serias amenazas que nos llegan de la mano del cambio climático; porque a veces el futuro ya es tarde, porque somos conscientes de que *aguas pasadas no mueven molino* y porque sólo es posible estar feliz como *pez en el agua* si disponemos de existencias del líquido elemento y de un tratamiento que favorezca su uso razonable, integrado y eficiente.

As you can see the author is very fond of water imagery. I'm trying to find nice equivalents in English, which is proving quite difficult. Any help gratefully accepted!!
Lorna O'Donoghue
Local time: 09:32
You never miss the water till the well has run dry
Explanation:
I think this is a good option.
A slightly different way to put it, also, is,
"We never know the worth of water till the well is dry."
You'll find a bunch of water-related proverbs in
http://www.wateryear2003.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=3376&URL_DO=DO...
Selected response from:

Diana Arbiser
United States
Local time: 02:32
Grading comment
Many thanks to all
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2You never miss the water till the well has run dry
Diana Arbiser
5 +1(opportunities missed) are water under the bridge
moken
4"trickle away"
Jan Castillo
4it's no good/use crying over spilt milk
Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
4Don´t you miss your waters after all!
Vladimir Martinez
3shutting the gate after the horse has bolted
Lorraine Bathurst
3past waters do not act on/put on windmills
Rosa Elena Lozano Arton


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
shutting the gate after the horse has bolted


Explanation:
not sure - just a suggestion
Cheers
L

Lorraine Bathurst
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:32
Native speaker of: English
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55 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
past waters do not act on/put on windmills


Explanation:
With waters as you asked

Rosa Elena Lozano Arton
Mexico
Local time: 02:32
Native speaker of: Spanish
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
You never miss the water till the well has run dry


Explanation:
I think this is a good option.
A slightly different way to put it, also, is,
"We never know the worth of water till the well is dry."
You'll find a bunch of water-related proverbs in
http://www.wateryear2003.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=3376&URL_DO=DO...

Diana Arbiser
United States
Local time: 02:32
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Many thanks to all

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Erin DeBell: I like this.
4 mins
  -> Thank you, Kirendall :)
agree  Juliana Brown: love it...
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Juliana :)
agree  Ivannia Garcia: purrrrfect :)
1 hr
  -> Grrrracias, Ivannia :)
disagree  Ray Ables: although "aguas pasadas no mueven molino" this saying has a different meaning...
1011 days
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
"trickle away"


Explanation:
Don't let this opportunity trickle away. Usually it would be slip away but, given your context, trickle might be appropriate. Opportunities come and go, but our honored guest never let them "trickle" away.

Jan Castillo
Local time: 04:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
it's no good/use crying over spilt milk


Explanation:
aguas pasadas no mueven molino = it's no good crying over spilt milk

como pez en el agua = like a duck to water

entre dos aguas = sit on the fence




It's no good crying over spilt milk - Idioms - by the Free ...- [ Traducir esta página ]Definition of It's no good crying over spilt milk in the Idioms Dictionary. It's no good crying over spilt milk phrase. What does It's no good crying over ...
idioms.thefreedictionary.com/It's+no+good+crying+over+spilt+milk - 26k - En caché - Páginas similares


Spanish Proverbs- [ Traducir esta página ]there is no bad bed for good sleep; n.b.: Mexican saying) ... agua pasada no mueve molino it’s no use crying over spilt milk. (lit. ...
www.languagerealm.com/spanish/spanishproverbs.php - 20k - En caché - Páginas similares

[2] It's no use crying over spilt milk.
The literal equivalent in Spanish, ‘No vale la pena llorar sobre leche derramada’, may convey the general idea expressed in the English structure, but the communicative value and force are missing. In standard Spanish nobody would say that. The structure would have to be replaced by expressions such as ‘A lo hecho, pecho’ or ‘Agua pasada no mueve molino’, which do not always show negative polarity.


Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
Spain
Local time: 10:32
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 285
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
(opportunities missed) are water under the bridge


Explanation:
Hi Lorna,

I'm in no doubt that this is the equivalent idiom in English - meaning exactly the same.

The reason I placed the fisrt part of my suggestion in brackets is that you need to consider how to fit it into your text - is the author speaking of missed opportunities, past events/actions? Lead in accordingly.

Good luck!

Álvaro :O)

moken
Local time: 09:32
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 17

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ray Ables: much closer in meaning
1011 days
  -> Cheers Ray. Mejor tarde than never. ;) ;)
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4 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Don´t you miss your waters after all!


Explanation:
after all!

Vladimir Martinez
Spain
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 8
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