English translation of "como si fuera algo que no era" - ""as if she were something that she was not""

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71 months ago

Barbara Cochran (a guest user) asked this question:

Language pair:	Spanish > English
Subject:	General
Level of diffculty:	Easy / medium
Word or term in question:	como si fuera algo que no era
Context:	— Quiero decirte algo — él le señaló la silla que había junto a la suya — casi no hay comida en la despensa. Hay que ir a comprar y Helga me ha dicho que hay un mercado grande en Narsarsuaq. — Sí, está cerca del puerto. Es el mercado más grande de la región, hay de todo: pescados, carne, verduras, ropa… Es buena idea, porque necesitas ropa – ella asintió tranquila, aunque en su interior se rebelaba ante el hecho de que él la comprara vestidos como si fuera algo que no era. Pero habían hecho un trato y él había cumplido su parte. Erik después de observarla y ver que no objetaba nada, estuvo de acuerdo — está bien, pues piensa lo que necesitamos e iremos mañana.

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Complete list of answers and comments

71 months ago

Charles Ferguson wrote:

as if she were a nobody

My comment:

Just a first guess.

My references:

Sorry, no references.

71 months ago

Ffion Marianne Moyle wrote:

Agree with Clara : as if she were something she was not

My comment:

I have a techinical glitch with my TraduGuide account at the moment which is prohibiting me from entering Best Answer, I'll get it sorted somehow!

Comments by other colleagues on this answer:

71 months ago

wrote:

Thanks, and Happy New Year to you, too!

71 months ago

Clara Fernández wrote:

"as if she were something that she was not"

My comment:

He's pointing to the chair and telling her there's no food in the house and that she needs to get that and clothes and proceeds to give her instructions of what to do. He's treating her like she's property, a maid or even an escort. She doesn't object because they have some sort of deal, but it is clear that she believes to be neither one of the above, so the idea is "does he think I'm his maid or what"?

Comments by other colleagues on this answer:

71 months ago

wrote:

After reading your translation of this phrase, I think what the original author means is that the clothes the guy wants her to get would make her "LOOK as is she were something she was not. Thanks, and have a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

71 months ago

Clara Fernández wrote:

Exactly. The idea is that he is making her feel or look like something she is not.

71 months ago

Clara Fernández wrote:

"as if she were something she wasn't/was not": any good-quality automatic translator would agree... Cf. https://mymemory.translated.net/en/Spanish/English/Es-buena-idea%2C-porque-necesitas-ropa-%E2%80%93-ella-asinti%C3%B3-tranquila%2C-aunque-en-su-interior-se-rebelaba-ante-el-hecho-de-que-%C3%A9l-la-comprara-vestidos-como-si-fuera-algo-que-no-era. --- https://www.deepl.com/translator#es/en/Es%20buena%20idea%2C%20porque%20necesitas%20ropa%20%E2%80%93%20ella%20asinti%C3%B3%20tranquila%2C%20aunque%20en%20su%20interior%20se%20rebelaba%20ante%20el%20hecho%20de%20que%20%C3%A9l%20la%20comprara%20vestidos%20como%20si%20fuera%20algo%20que%20no%20era. Sometimes you have to use and trust those good-quality automatic translators... They find great translation solutions from their huge databases... Then you have to check if in doubt, of course, e.g. by googling it, but I confirm it is a great source nowadays. I think that rather than a maid, buying clothes is more for an escort, cf. the movie "Pretty Woman", which everyone knows, right?! :-) And Happy New Year!

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