Spanish translation question

[Paula in MS]

We are currently using Rosetta Stone for Spanish. DD understands a lot of it, but can't translate it from English to Spanish very well. I'm making some flashcards to help out with this.

 

My question is this...How would you translate Ella lee un periodico? I know as a statement it would translate, "She reads a book." Would it be "Is she reading a book?" Or would that be Ella esta leyendo un periodico? Would it just be understood that you meant, "Is she reading right now."

 

What about Duerme ella? Is she asleep?

 

Of course, there is no English translation at all with Rosetta Stone, and college Spanish was a long time ago.

 

Can anyone help me? Am I making any sense?

 

Paula

[Scarymelon]

My spanish is only intermediate, by periodico is newspaper/magazine, not book. Libro is book. You could say she reads a book either way; ella lee un libro is she reads a book, while ella esta leyendo un libro is she is reading a book.

[sagira]

"Ella lee un periodico" is, in English, "She reads a newspaper."

 

"Ella esta leyendo un periodico" is "She's reading a newspaper".

[Matryoshka]

In English we often use the present progressive tense (is reading) where other languages would use the simple present tense (reads). It actually often sounds odd to our ears in English to use the simple present.

 

Spanish also has the progressive tenses, and uses them fairly often, but not as often as English. The progressive tense does not mean "right now" - it refers to an ongoing or continuing action. In both English and Spanish the progressive tenses are formed by the verb "to be" (always "estar" in Spanish progressive) + the present participle.

 

So, "Ella lee un periódico" could be literally translated as "She reads a newspaper", but we'd probably say "She is reading a newspaper", so translating it that way is correct in meaning if not literally the same tense. "Ella está leyendo un periódico" is the Spanish progressive.

 

What it is not is a question. Word order is reversed in a question. "Is she reading a newspaper?" would be "¿Lee ella un periódico?".

[Paula in MS]

Sorry, newspaper. Too many things at once.

 

Matroyshka, Rosetta stone does actually word the question that way. Ella lee un periodico is enclosed in question marks and is meant to be answered. But sometimes it is the other way like Duerme ella? With the verb first.

 

So, whether it is Ella lee or Ella esta leyendo formed into a question, we would just translate the same, "Is she reading?". Correct?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Paula

[Matryoshka]

So, whether it is Ella lee or Ella esta leyendo formed into a question, we would just translate the same, "Is she reading?". Correct?

 

 

If it's a question, yes. I can't think of a way to even form that as a question that doesn't sound weird in English without using the progressive - "She reads?" does not have the same meaning as "¿Ella lee?" - someone saying that would mean "Is she reading?" - the English "She reads?" sounds like someone's surprised that a 4yo is already literate. :tongue_smilie: Sometimes a literal translation is not the most accurate. :)

[Paula in MS]

Thanks so much! I'm in the process of putting this on Anki. I think it will help tremendously. Rosetta Stone does not have enough built in review for a 9 year old.

 

Paula