Yo La Tenga

English translation: (provided that) I have her

17:30 Sep 1, 2006
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Music
Spanish term or phrase: Yo La Tenga
"Yo La Tenga" is the name of the musical group that performed the song "Harmour Love" in the movie "Junebug".

I learned that "tenga" is the present subjunctive form of the verb "tener" (to have). But I can't find out what (grammatically) the present subjunctive means.

What would be the English translation of the group's name?
Bruce Barrett
English translation:(provided that) I have her
Explanation:
there are many possibilities... this is one
Selected response from:

Marian Greenfield
Local time: 04:39
Grading comment
Thank you all for your help.

I knew Yo La Tengo translates to "I have (got) it". But I'm almost positive the musical credits on the DVD said "… Tenga", as did several record and movie websites in response to a Google search. That's what prompted my curiosity.

Sorry for the confusion. I prefer not to pick a "best" answer or assign points, because some answers addressed the literal translation, some the mistaken name, and some the efficacy of any translation.

I appreciate all the insight, and am sending this message to all responders.

Thanks again,
Bruce.

4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +4Yo La Tengo
Andrea Quintana
5 +2I've Got It (Her)
Henry Hinds
5(provided that) I have her
Marian Greenfield
5"I have her" or "I have it"
Gabriel Arganaras
3I might have it (her)
Lisa Mann
1see what I found below
Ivannia Garcia


  

Answers


16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
(provided that) I have her


Explanation:
there are many possibilities... this is one

Marian Greenfield
Local time: 04:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Thank you all for your help.

I knew Yo La Tengo translates to "I have (got) it". But I'm almost positive the musical credits on the DVD said "… Tenga", as did several record and movie websites in response to a Google search. That's what prompted my curiosity.

Sorry for the confusion. I prefer not to pick a "best" answer or assign points, because some answers addressed the literal translation, some the mistaken name, and some the efficacy of any translation.

I appreciate all the insight, and am sending this message to all responders.

Thanks again,
Bruce.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
I've Got It (Her)


Explanation:
It's "Yo La Tengo", often mangled:

Yo La Tengo's official siteYo la tengo's official site, with news, photos, audio samples and merchandise.
www.yolatengo.com/ - 7k


Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 02:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 32
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you all for your help. I knew Yo La Tengo translates to "I have (got) it". But I'm almost positive the musical credits on the DVD said "… Tenga", as did several record and movie websites in response to a Google search. That's what prompted my curiosity. Sorry for the confusion. I prefer not to pick a "best" answer or assign points, because some answers addressed the literal translation, some the mistaken name, and some the efficacy of any translation. I appreciate all the insight, and am sending this message to all responders. Thanks again, Bruce.

Asker: Thank you all for your help. I knew Yo La Tengo translates to "I have (got) it". But I'm almost positive the musical credits on the DVD said "… Tenga", as did several record and movie websites in response to a Google search. That's what prompted my curiosity. Sorry for the confusion. I prefer not to pick a "best" answer or assign points, because some answers addressed the literal translation, some the mistaken name, and some the efficacy of any translation. I appreciate all the insight, and am sending this message to all responders. Thanks again, Bruce.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Will Matter: I would've said "I have it" but you definitely know better than I do. Saludos.
1 min
  -> Gracias, Will.

agree  David Russell: Yes, that's the right name!
1 min
  -> Gracias, David.

neutral  Ivannia Garcia: I believe this group is a spinoff of YO LA TENGA
1 min
  -> Actually it appears that YO LA TENGA is a common mistake.
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
see what I found below


Explanation:
found this, I'm not sure it's what you're looking for:

presente de indicativo - I have it - yo la tengo.

preterito - I had it. - yo la tuve.

imperfecto de indicativo - I had it, continuously in the past - yo la tenia.

futuro - I'll have it. - yo la tendre.

potencial simple - I could/should have it. - yo la tendria.

presente de subjunctivo - It's not definite that I'll have it. - yo la tenga.

imperfecto de subjunctivo - If I would have it, something else happens. - yo la tuviera OR yo la tuviese.

perfecto de indicativo - I had it (it was had). - yo la he tenido.

pluscuamperfecto de indicativo - I had it in the past, before something else happened in the past. - yo la habia tenido.

preterito anterior - After I had had it, something else happened. - yo la hube tenido.

futuro perfecto - I shall have had it. - yo la habre tenido.

potencial compuesto - What could I have had. yo la habria tenido.

perfecto de subjunctivo - I have had it. yo la haya tenido.

pluscuamperfecto de subjunctivo - I had had it. - yo la hubiera tenido OR yo la hubiese tenido.

http://www.ojitos-in-mexico.com/blog.cfm?bid=127

Ivannia Garcia
Local time: 02:39
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Lisa Mann: I don't trust the info on this site "If I would have it" is horrible english...
5 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
Yo La Tengo


Explanation:
I wouldn't translate the name of the band, unless required for some specific purpose. By the way, the correct name of the band is "Yo La Tengo" (I've got it!). See below, pls.:

Though much of the movie is free of background music, its score is made up of original music by Yo La Tengo. Also, the film begins and ends with the 1977 song "Harmour Love" performed by Syreeta and written by Stevie Wonder.
Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/junebug

"The core of Yo La Tengo (Spanish for the outfielder's cry of "I've got it!") was comprised of singer/guitarist Kaplan and his wife, drummer/vocalist Georgia Hubley."
Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/yo-la-tengo-1


    Reference: http://www.answers.com/topic/junebug
    Reference: http://www.answers.com/topic/yo-la-tengo-1
Andrea Quintana
Argentina
Local time: 05:39
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 2
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you all for your help. I knew Yo La Tengo translates to "I have (got) it". But I'm almost positive the musical credits on the DVD said "… Tenga", as did several record and movie websites in response to a Google search. That's what prompted my curiosity. Sorry for the confusion. I prefer not to pick a "best" answer or assign points, because some answers addressed the literal translation, some the mistaken name, and some the efficacy of any translation. I appreciate all the insight, and am sending this message to all responders. Thanks again, Bruce.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sp-EnTranslator: no reason to translate here, in my view.
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Claudia. :)

agree  Luz Dumanowsky
1 day 4 hrs
  -> Thanks, Virginia. :)

agree  Ana Maria Bustos K.
1 day 6 hrs
  -> Gracias, Ana. :)

agree  Barbara Cochran, MFA: I agree that you shouldn't translate the band's name. I think it loses a lot in the translation-in English, wouldn't be a good name for a band.
2 days 9 hrs
  -> Thanks, Femme. :)
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
"I have her" or "I have it"


Explanation:
The name of the band might refer to having a female person or animal. In that case the correct translation would be "I have her". If it refers to an object, the best translation in my opinion, would be "I have it".

Gabriel Arganaras
United States
Local time: 04:39
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
Notes to answerer
Asker:

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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
I might have it (her)


Explanation:
subjunctive suggests possibility as might does in English...this is a possibility

Lisa Mann
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you all for your help. I knew Yo La Tengo translates to "I have (got) it". But I'm almost positive the musical credits on the DVD said "… Tenga", as did several record and movie websites in response to a Google search. That's what prompted my curiosity. Sorry for the confusion. I prefer not to pick a "best" answer or assign points, because some answers addressed the literal translation, some the mistaken name, and some the efficacy of any translation. I appreciate all the insight, and am sending this message to all responders. Thanks again, Bruce.

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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