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71 months ago

Barbara Cochran (a guest user) asked this question:

This question has already been answered and rated. Therefore, no new answers can be given.

71 months ago

María P. Álvarez   wrote:

before she knew it

The asker rated this answer best

71 months ago

María P. Álvarez   wrote:

and the next thing she knew,

My comment:

"She thought it was so pretty that she crouched down and gently ran her hand over the cloth while Erik was talking to the salesman, and the next thing she knew, he was crouching next to her and affectionately putting his warm hand over her neck." (just to give you an indication of how it fits in the English sentence, don't consider this as a perfect translation).

My references:

3 similar occurrences at https://glosbe.com/es/en/cuando%20se%20quiso%20dar%20cuenta :

Cuando me quise dar cuenta, se habían ido.

The next thing I know, they're gone.


Cuando me quise dar cuenta, se lanza y se mete ahí sola

Next thing I know, she jumps the gun and goes in herself


Para cuando me quise dar cuenta, se había casado con otro, y espera un bebé.

And next thing I know, she's married to somebody else, and she's having a baby.

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Definition: https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/the+next+thing+I+know

(the) next thing (one) knows:
All of a sudden; out of nowhere; without warning.

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Comments by other colleagues on this answer:

71 months ago

   wrote:

Barbara, An alternate translation, maybe more in tune with the tone of your text: "and all of a sudden,...". It is one of the synonyms given in thefreedictionary.com, at the end of my above references.