jak cos to do niemca pojdziemy

English translation: if they can't make it, we'll go (to see the match)...

09:26 Jul 3, 2008

Polish to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / Colloquial - emails

Polish term or phrase: jak cos to do niemca pojdziemy

This will probably seem very easy to native speakers, but I am having problems translating this phrase. This is an email and the person writing it has arranged to watch the Germany-Poland Euro 2008 game with a friend:

"Nie wiem co z XXX sie stalo, umawialismy sie z nim i XXX na Manhattan do baru isc co nie i tak o 11am on do mnie zadzwonil, ze sie nie wyrobia na 12 zeby tam byc i ze jak cos to do niemca pojdziemy, no to ja mowie, ze ok trudno nie ma sprawy i, zeby do mnie o 12 najlepiej jeszcze raz zadzwonil i sie wtedy do konca umowimy."

Thank you.

Sonia Clough KudoZ activity Questions: 247 (none open) (5 without valid answers) (1 closed without grading) Answers: 49 United Kingdom
Local time: 11:57

English translation:if they can't make it, we'll go (to see the match)...

Explanation:
if they can't make it, we'll go (to see the match)
a) in the German pub/bar (that we all know of); or
b) at our German friend's place; or
c) at Niemiec's place (with 'Niemiec' as a nickname)

i ze jak cos - very general, very colloquial: in the event that something bad or unexpected happens

Selected response from:

Robert Foltyn
Poland
Local time: 12:57

Grading comment

Thank you Robert!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +2

if they can't make it, we'll go (to see the match)...

Robert Foltyn

3 +1

if there's a problem, we'll go to the German

Jarosław Napierała

3 +1

if anything happens/goes wrong, we'll go to a/the German (bar/pub)

Jerzy Matwiejczuk

Answers

8 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

if there's a problem, we'll go to the German

Explanation:
"do niemca", jak sądzę, oznacza niemiecki pub, natomiast "jak coś" rozumiem tutaj jako: "w razie braku miejsc w barze, w którym się umawiamy"

Jarosław Napierała
Local time: 12:57
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: Polish
PRO pts in category: 8

34 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

if they can't make it, we'll go (to see the match)...

Robert Foltyn
Poland
Local time: 12:57
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Polish
PRO pts in category: 80

Grading comment

Thank you Robert!

31 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

if anything happens/goes wrong, we'll go to a/the German (bar/pub)

Explanation:
Yet another proposal.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 48 min (2008-07-03 10:14:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

We cannot be sure, from the context provided, whether "Niemiec" is some specific place or one of (many, I believe) German bars/pubs there.

Jerzy Matwiejczuk
Local time: 12:57
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Polish
PRO pts in category: 42

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jak cos to do niemca pojdziemy

English translation: if they can't make it, we'll go (to see the match)...

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jak cos to do niemca pojdziemy

English translation: if they can't make it, we'll go (to see the match)...

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