dacht v. denk

English translation: I think (it was at)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Dutch term or phrase:	ik dacht
English translation:	I think (it was at)
Entered by:	Lucy Spring

21:18 Jan 21, 2004

Dutch to English translations [PRO]

Dutch term or phrase: dacht v. denk

A reviser has just queried my translation of the following sentence:

Op zeker ogenblik omstreeks [year], ik dacht op een receptie in [place], ben ik met [X] in contact gekomen.

In the version I submitted I have used 'thought' for 'dacht' as in 'I thought that's where it was' (implying: 'but perhaps I'm wrong'), but the natural instinct of both myself and the reviser was to put 'think' in the first instance.

Lucy Spring

think

Explanation:
'at a reception in x I think' or 'I think it was at a reception in x'
either would do , i think, but I think you're right to say i 'think' rather than 'thought', even though 'dacht' is past tense.

Selected response from:

Lindsay Edwards
Belgium
Local time: 01:47

Grading comment

Thank you. It's come down to personal preference in the end - my first instinct was to write 'I think', so I've reverted to that.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +7

think

Lindsay Edwards

4 +4

I believe

Tina Vonhof (X)

Answers

7 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +7

think

Lindsay Edwards
Belgium
Local time: 01:47
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 58

Grading comment

Thank you. It's come down to personal preference in the end - my first instinct was to write 'I think', so I've reverted to that.

5 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

I believe

Explanation:
'Ik dacht' in this case means neither think nor thought but 'I believe'.

Here is another example found on the web: "Halverwege de jaren '70 (ik dacht in 1976,maar weet dit niet zeker meer) won ik in een tekenwedstrijd".

Here too, one would say in English "I believe in 1976 but I'm not sure".

Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 17:47
Native speaker of:

Dutch,

English
PRO pts in pair: 760

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dacht v. denk

English translation: I think (it was at)

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dacht v. denk

English translation: I think (it was at)

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