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  3. Poetry & Literature

'no se daba maña con los zapatos de mujer'

English translation: he did not have a knack for women's shoes

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:'no se daba maña con los zapatos de mujer'
English translation:he did not have a knack for women's shoes
Entered by: Sandra Cravero

14:39 Jun 21, 2008
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
Spanish term or phrase: 'no se daba maña con los zapatos de mujer'
"Cuando se casó con mi madre, ya tenía su propia zapatería, especializada en calzado de hombre: no se daba maña con los zapatos de mujer."
My choice is: 'he did not have a knack for making women’s shoes', though I could have used 'forte' or 'thing', I'm not sure about frequency of use.
Sandra Cravero
Argentina
Local time: 15:48
he did not have a knack for women's shoes
Explanation:
I think you don't need to change a thing. Using "forte" would've changed the register, and saying "women's shoes wasn't his thing" does not improve your idea.
Selected response from:

teju
Local time: 12:48
Grading comment
I agree with you. You gave me confidence. Thanks a lot!!!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2he just couldn't figure out/get used to...
Lydia De Jorge
4 +1he couldn't get the hang of...
Edward Tully
5he did not have a knack for women's shoes
teju
4 -1he did non care of womens' shoes
Vittorio Ferretti
3he wasn't a dab hand at women's shoes
eloso (X)


Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
he just couldn't figure out/get used to...


Explanation:
.

Lydia De Jorge
United States
Local time: 13:48
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 133

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  María T. Vargas
11 mins
  -> Gracia!! Feliz sabado!
disagree  Vittorio Ferretti: eso es "agarrar la onda de"; mi suegra argentina usa "dar maña" en otro sentido
5 hrs
  -> Thanks for your opinion.
agree  Edward Tully: I think Vittorio is having a bad day...
6 hrs
  -> Thank you Edward!
agree  Egmont
6 hrs
  -> Thanks AVRVM!
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
he couldn't get the hang of...


Explanation:
another option!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 mins (2008-06-21 14:48:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

DOC] I got, I did not get/I didn't get - recibí/conseguí, no recibí/no ... Formato de archivo: Microsoft Word - Versión en HTML
to get the hang of - aprender la maña/destreza de un trabajo/una tarea con práctica. to get the lead out (pronounced led) - ir más rápidamente (literalmente ...
learnlanguagefromluton.net/files/eng474.get.doc - Páginas similares


Edward Tully
Local time: 20:48
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 152
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you!!!! This one goes to my glossary as a near synonym


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  teju: Another good option.
1 hr
  -> Thank you! ;-)
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
he did non care of womens' shoes


Explanation:
darse maña = invest effort/care for

Vittorio Ferretti
Local time: 20:48
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Vittorio, in a way your suggestion is the recognition of not having 'maña' and thus losing interest in doing sthg. Yours helps me cope with another part of the book. Thank you twice!!!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Lydia De Jorge: What exactly does 'he did non care of womens' shoes' mean???
5 hrs
  -> he did not care to promote sales of ...
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
he did not have a knack for women's shoes


Explanation:
I think you don't need to change a thing. Using "forte" would've changed the register, and saying "women's shoes wasn't his thing" does not improve your idea.

teju
Local time: 12:48
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 52
Grading comment
I agree with you. You gave me confidence. Thanks a lot!!!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Vittorio Ferretti: = "no tenia el don de ..." ?
5 hrs
  -> No entiendo tu comentario, ¿me puedes explicar que quieres decir? Gracias
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
he wasn't a dab hand at women's shoes


Explanation:
What about this one?

eloso (X)
Argentina
Local time: 15:48
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in SpanishSpanish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you!!! Another good option

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