...si yo estubiera... si yo fuera...

English translation: If I were/ If I was (gramatically correct vs everyday, street talk)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:...si yo estuviera... si yo fuera...(grammar)
English translation:If I were/ If I was (gramatically correct vs everyday, street talk)
Entered by: Cecilia Della Croce

14:26 Mar 2, 2005
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Linguistics / Regular or street language (informal)
Spanish term or phrase: ...si yo estubiera... si yo fuera...
Por favor, algo que "suene" en inglés... Muchas gracias desde Medellín.
Gabriel Aramburo Siegert
Local time: 08:27
ver nota
Explanation:
Vamos por partes: If I were es lo correcto que nos enseñana en gramática porque esta forma de hipótesis requiere el subjuntivo, pero dado que este uso correcto suena un tanto extraño (as it should) y el subjuntivo en inglés se le pierde al hablante común, en la calle se escucha "If I was" (incorrecto gramaticalemente pero más "normal" al oído)

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Note added at 2005-03-02 23:35:06 (GMT)
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por otra parte: fuera o fuese son dos formas correctas e intercambiables del pretérito imperfecto del subj en español
si yo fuera/ fuese millonaria me iría de viaje a Europa
Selected response from:

Cecilia Della Croce
Argentina
Local time: 10:27
Grading comment
Bueno, Ceci, me gustó mucho tu cobetura, apoyada por el comentario que hizo Terence Ajbro a Gnevieve. Es que mucha gente está diciendo "If I was a rich man" hoy por hoy. Un saludo desde Medellín.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4if I were...
teju
5 +2if I were
Genevieve Tournebize
5if I were ... if I went
sym
4if I were
Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
4...if I was ...if I were...
Cecilia Castrillon
4ver nota
Cecilia Della Croce
4were: hypothesis / was: reality
Maria Karra


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
if I were...


Explanation:
Mas contexto nos ayudaria a ayudarte

teju
Local time: 07:27
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 24

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  sym
5 mins
  -> gracias de nuevo :)

agree  Gabriela Rodriguez
12 mins
  -> gracias Gabriela

agree  Refugio: As in the song, "If I were a rich man" // Wow! I never realized that even the scat "Daidle deedle daidle" etc. would be translated!
1 hr
  -> dabadabadabadabadá, gracias Ruth. jajajajajaja, pues claro que sí

agree  Cristian Garcia
1 hr
  -> gracias Cristian
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1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
if I were


Explanation:
this is proper grammar too

Genevieve Tournebize
Local time: 08:27
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Terence Ajbro: this is grammatically correct, but be aware that many English speakers would say "if I was" today
2 mins

agree  Muriel Vasconcellos
10 hrs
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2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
if I were


Explanation:
Suerte... por cierto, estuviera con "v". Saluditos..

Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
Spain
Local time: 14:27
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 24
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47 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
...if I was ...if I were...


Explanation:
Off course I agree that more information would improve the translation.

Cecilia Castrillon
Ecuador
Local time: 08:27
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
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49 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
if I were ... if I went


Explanation:
Me quede pensando que quizas "fuera" es del verbo ir , en cuyo caso sería went, si es del verbo ser, I agree with the others

sym
Local time: 10:27
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
ver nota


Explanation:
Vamos por partes: If I were es lo correcto que nos enseñana en gramática porque esta forma de hipótesis requiere el subjuntivo, pero dado que este uso correcto suena un tanto extraño (as it should) y el subjuntivo en inglés se le pierde al hablante común, en la calle se escucha "If I was" (incorrecto gramaticalemente pero más "normal" al oído)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2005-03-02 23:35:06 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

por otra parte: fuera o fuese son dos formas correctas e intercambiables del pretérito imperfecto del subj en español
si yo fuera/ fuese millonaria me iría de viaje a Europa

Cecilia Della Croce
Argentina
Local time: 10:27
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 28
Grading comment
Bueno, Ceci, me gustó mucho tu cobetura, apoyada por el comentario que hizo Terence Ajbro a Gnevieve. Es que mucha gente está diciendo "If I was a rich man" hoy por hoy. Un saludo desde Medellín.
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20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
were: hypothesis / was: reality


Explanation:
"If I were" es una hipótesis. "If I was" se refiere a algo que probablemente sucedió. Por ejemplo,
"If I were happy I'd stop complaining." (no soy feliz, pero si lo fuera...)

"If I treated you badly, I apologize." (sí te traté mal, y por eso pido perdón)


Otro ejemplo:
"If I were the winner of the game I'd be really glad" (no gané - hipótesis)
"If I was the winner of the game, it was due to pure luck" (sí, gané - realidad)




Maria Karra
United States
Local time: 09:27
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GreekGreek
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