Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Catalan term or phrase:
acababa de
English translation:
just + have + past participle
Added to glossary by
Berni Armstrong
Apr 6, 2002 14:59
22 yrs ago
Catalan term
acababa de
Non-PRO
Catalan to English
Other
Bush acababa de tenir una gran idea, una idea que li permetrà allò que més li agrada - do you say "Bush HAD just had a great idea" or "Bush HAS just..." (followed by future tense)?
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 | depends |
Berni Armstrong
|
| 5 -1 | Bush had just found out a great idea |
Flavio Ferri-Benedetti
|
| 4 | Bush had just had a great idea, an idea that would... |
Sheila Hardie
|
Proposed translations
11 mins
Berni Armstrong
Spain
Spain
Native in English
Spain
Never Missed a Deadline in 32 Years
Native in: English 
Works in: English, Spanish to English, Catalan to English
Related KudoZ points
:
552
Selected
depends
If he had this idea recently and you want it to sound like recent news then use present perfect (Bush has just had an idea that might have long ranging consequences on the future of mankind).
You should also use "has had" if the consequences of the idea can still be considered current. (Bush has had an idea that is still causing headaches for half of the wortld: "What would happen if I let my hawks off the leash?")
If the text refer to a specific moment in the past, within a narrrative that is already in the past, then you should use "had had". eg: "On January 1st, Bush had just had the idea of atom bombing Baghdad, when Colin Powell suggested it might not be such a good idea"
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Note added at 2002-04-06 15:13:30 (GMT)
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or just come up with an idea - register choice
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Note added at 2002-04-06 15:14:08 (GMT)
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or just come up with an idea - register choice
You should also use "has had" if the consequences of the idea can still be considered current. (Bush has had an idea that is still causing headaches for half of the wortld: "What would happen if I let my hawks off the leash?")
If the text refer to a specific moment in the past, within a narrrative that is already in the past, then you should use "had had". eg: "On January 1st, Bush had just had the idea of atom bombing Baghdad, when Colin Powell suggested it might not be such a good idea"
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-04-06 15:13:30 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
or just come up with an idea - register choice
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-04-06 15:14:08 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
or just come up with an idea - register choice
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Moltes gracies"
-1
7 mins
Flavio Ferri-Benedetti
Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland
PhD & Ita+Spa Native. Fast and precise.
Native in: Italian 
, Spanish
Works in: Spanish to Italian, Italian to Spanish, German to Spanish, and 7 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
69
Bush had just found out a great idea
Dear Erica,
"acabar de" in Catalan (and Spanish) gives an idea of inmediate conclusion of an action.
"Acabo de dinar": I have JUST finished dining.
Bush had just finished to HAVE that great idea: he found out that great idea just a moment ago, and now he can use it.
Hope it makes some sense for you!
BTW: in Catalan it should be "acabava", not "acababa" (which is Spanish).
Best wishes!
Flavio
"acabar de" in Catalan (and Spanish) gives an idea of inmediate conclusion of an action.
"Acabo de dinar": I have JUST finished dining.
Bush had just finished to HAVE that great idea: he found out that great idea just a moment ago, and now he can use it.
Hope it makes some sense for you!
BTW: in Catalan it should be "acabava", not "acababa" (which is Spanish).
Best wishes!
Flavio
Reference:
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Berni Armstrong
: Sorry to disagree Flavio, but you cannot "find out an idea" in English. You can find out that your wife is having an affair, find out you were adopted, etc. You can, however, "come up" with an idea.
9 mins
|
|
Whoops - thanks
|
13 mins
Sheila Hardie
Spain
Spain
Native in English
Spain
passion des mots
Native in: English
Works in: Catalan to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
784
Bush had just had a great idea, an idea that would...
I would say something like:
Bush had just had a great idea, an idea that would...
BTW, it should be 'acabava' in Catalan, 'acababa' is Spanish. It has the same meaning here anyway.
HTH
Sheila
Bush had just had a great idea, an idea that would...
BTW, it should be 'acabava' in Catalan, 'acababa' is Spanish. It has the same meaning here anyway.
HTH
Sheila
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