Tafsiri - Kiswidi-Kiingereza - Min semester

Hi Piagabriella,

If the person is telling about a vacation that is over I think all the verbs should be into past tense.

During my vacation I spent time with my friends, slept a lot and just relaxed. In addition to that I was in Italy with my family, it was very nice and interesting. I love (loved?) Italy! I hope I will return some day.


What do you think?

I think that both of the texts works but I actually needed this in spanish, so i hope somebody can help me translate the text into spanish. But thank you so much for taking your time.

What is this text for, joysie?

Lilian, acctually I don't know. I put all the verbs in the same tense in English as in Swedish, because to me there seemed to be no difference and no need to write in another tense in English than in the Swedish original.
But I am not sure that there isn't such a difference between Swedish and English languages... I should try to check it up just in case. If you feel sure that it should be changed, I can change it (or feel free to do it if you want)!
(I thought this should be easy enough for me, but you make me unsure!)

But I really think that "I love Italy!" should be kept in present tense. It is really "generally".

By the way, the person who wrote the swedish text could as well have written: På min semester var jag med mina vänner, sov mycket och tog det lugnt. Jag var även i Italien med min familj...
In such case I would have translated it as you suggest.

But I trust you if you feel sure, Lilian! English is not my native language, and I remember too few acctual rules.
So, I just don't know, but I can make a try to check it up. And if you want to change right now it is okay for me (but it is writen in present tense in Swedish... however that might not make any difference for how it should be translated?)

Hi Piagabriella,

I didn't intend to "confuse" you!
Let me try to explain what my suggestion is about:

"During my vacation I have spent time with my friends, slept a lot and just relaxed."

In English that means that the vacation hasn't finished yet.

"In addition to that, I have been in Italy with my family, it was very nice and interesting."

Here the past is compulsory since the person is not in Italy anymore, right?, otherwise why is "was" being used?

"I love Italy!"

For this line the present is correct if it's about a permanent feeling, not just referring to the trip the person took on this vacation, but if s/he is talking about the impression this trip caused, the past would be more suitable. "I loved/liked Italy (so much)!

I hope I made myself understood.

For Spanish things change a bit when comes to verb tenses, though.

Just a suggestion! [About vocabulary! I have nothing to say about the verbal tenses. ]

I have been with my friends through my vacation [in my holidays]. I slept a lot and just took it easy. I have also (även) been to Italy with my family. It was very funny and interesting. I love Italy! I hope to return some day.

casper tavernello, the text is a part in a letter too a friend I meet on a language course.

Thank you so much for all explanations, Lilian! I think I understood everything! Probably I even learned something :-) And it's okay to get a little bit confused sometimes ;-) , and I'm sure it wasn't your intention.

I will make all the changes you suggested and you made me even more convinced that "I love italy" should be kept, since it is about a permanent feeling and not just that trip to Italy.

As to pirulitos suggestions I like them, too. As to the first one I don't know... the person who writes hasn't been with his or her friends during the whole vacation, probably they have spent time together now and then. (if that matter?) I will make the other changes you suggest, pirulito, thank you!!! It seems to me that they will make the translation better.

Jag föreslår att du skriver "fun" istället för "funny". Det är en viss skillnad, där funny mer betyder komisk, något man skrattar åt, eller något konstigt. Fun betyder rolig och underhållande.

Tack Lena! Ja, jag skrev "nice" från början (för att det inte skulle låta som något man skrattar åt), men det var säkert alldeles för mkt åt det "trevliga" hållet. Tack så jättemycket för ditt tips!

Lilian, I change this according to Lenas suggestion!

Oh, you have done it already!