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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

los árboles no nos dejan ver el bosque

English translation: The trees don't let us see the woods

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:los árboles no nos dejan ver el bosque
English translation:The trees don't let us see the woods
Entered by: ana_brum

11:40 May 21, 2002
Spanish to English translations [Non-PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / general
Spanish term or phrase: los árboles no nos dejan ver el bosque
general
Pedro
The trees don't let us see the woods
Explanation:
.
Selected response from:

ana_brum
Local time: 22:03
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +17We can't see the forest for the trees
Trudy Peters
4 +3The details don't let us see the whole picture.
Robert INGLEDEW
4 +2The trees don't let us see the woods
ana_brum
5 +1You can't see the wood for the trees
Giles Bickford
5You can't see the wood for the trees
Giles Bickford
5We can't see the forest for the trees.
Debra
4If you look at the trees you don't see the forest
luskie


  

Answers


1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +17
We can't see the forest for the trees


Explanation:
..

Trudy Peters
United States
Local time: 17:03
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Andy Watkinson: ...though it's usually "wood" rather than "forest"
10 mins
agree  Endre Both: Or "the wood for the trees", right?
11 mins
agree  Maria-Jose Pastor: common expresiion in USA - using forest
15 mins
agree  Сергей Лузан: In Russia as well.
29 mins
agree  BJD: This is the exact expression we would use in the U.S.
31 mins
agree  Nikki Graham: wood (or woods) in GB
49 mins
agree  Tania Marques-Cardoso
50 mins
agree  Sheila Hardie: yes, I'd say 'you can't see the wood for the trees'
50 mins
agree  Leonardo Parachú: I´d go for for "wood" as well.
1 hr
agree  Monica Colangelo: the wood for the trees is more common
2 hrs
agree  x-Translator (X)
2 hrs
agree  Henry Hinds: Forest in USA.
3 hrs
agree  Andrea Bullrich
3 hrs
agree  Consult Couture: exacto...forest en EEUU
3 hrs
agree  Marta Ruiz
5 hrs
agree  Francisco Adell
7 hrs
agree  Marisol Valenzuela-Dillen: Yeah, forest or wood, autumn or fall, cookies or biscuits, lift or elevator,... this is the essence of languages!
8 hrs
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11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
The trees don't let us see the woods


Explanation:
.

ana_brum
Local time: 22:03
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  eolmedo
8 mins
  -> Thanks Elena
agree  Сергей Лузан: Possible,but not so poetically.
19 mins
  -> Thanks N
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23 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
The details don't let us see the whole picture.


Explanation:
That is what is means, although the literal translation is very much used.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-21 12:06:01 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

...or \"we pay so much attention to the details that we loose the perspective of the whole picture\".

Robert INGLEDEW
Argentina
Local time: 18:03
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Сергей Лузан: Fine explanation, but not a translation version.
8 mins
  -> Thank you, Ñåðãåé Ëóçàí. I have translated the meaning, not the words. You may call it a free translation.
agree  Sheilann: That's the exact meaning, but what was asked was the translation
1 hr
  -> You are right, Sheila. I just said above it is a free translation. The literal translation has already been provided by Trudy.
agree  LoreAC (X)
10 hrs
  -> Gracias, Lore.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
You can't see the wood for the trees


Explanation:
Exactly this

Giles Bickford
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:03
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
We can't see the forest for the trees.


Explanation:
Quiere decir que las personas estan enfocando tanto en las detalles que no pueden ver mas alla.

Debra
United States
Local time: 16:03
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
If you look at the trees you don't see the forest


Explanation:
a variation to combine literal translation + meaning...

(at single trees)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-30 07:01:44 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

you can\'t see the forest

luskie
Local time: 23:03
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 8
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13 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
You can't see the wood for the trees


Explanation:
This is the proper saying. All other variations (especially tjhe chosen one of "The trees don\'t let us see the woods")most of which come from non-nativce speakers, I suspect, are simply back translations which make no sense and ARE WRONG and I venture to say that use of such will expose the user as unprofessional! Sorry to be so blunt, but you did ask for the right answer

Giles Bickford
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:03
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Laura Stripp: I don't know when this was posted, as I've just come across this randomly, but I just wanted to say that I completely agree with you and to be honest, I can't believe that no-one else has.
2143 days
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