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Spanish preposition usage for material

Spanish translation: they are different things

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:Spanish preposition usage for material
Spanish translation:they are different things
Entered by: Mikeal (X)

14:42 Mar 31, 2004
English to Spanish translations [PRO]
Automotive / Cars & Trucks
English term or phrase: Spanish preposition usage for material
I have noted that Spanish uses both "en" and "de" when referring to material used, for example, "asientos en tela" pero "ruedas de acero". ¿No se usa "de" con el verbo hacer?
Mikeal (X)
they are different things
Explanation:
In the case you mention, the same could apply to english, as far as I know. You see, the chair is not made of cloth/tela entirely, just its finishing, as it could be in leather, wood...So, in that case, 'en tela' stands for 'acabado/guarnecido/tapizado en tela'. This is very common in spanish. If the thing is made of one material entirely, like the wheel of your example, you would never say 'en acero', as it would mean something like 'finished in steel', not 'made of steel'.

Anyway, this was just my first thought, wait for other points of view.

Hope it helped
Selected response from:

Miquel
Spain
Local time: 18:32
Grading comment
Very helpful. This is what I was thinking...
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2De, en México.
Juan Jacob
5 +1(abajo)
Henry Hinds
5está hecho de (no en)
jomasaov (X)
3 +1they are different things
Miquel


  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
spanish preposition usage for material
De, en México.


Explanation:
Asientos en tela es correcto, aunque poco común.
Acá en México se usa de: asientos de tela, ruedas de acero, mueble hecho de madera.
Esperemos opiniones de otros colegas.
Suerte.

Juan Jacob
Mexico
Local time: 10:32
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 36

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Verónica Dolan
48 mins
  -> Gracias.
agree  M. Alejandra Perssichini: Lo mismo pasa en Argentina
57 mins
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
spanish preposition usage for material
(abajo)


Explanation:
I'd have to see examples to decide, but in Mexican we would normally say "asientos DE tela", but "asientos forrados EN tela", and always "ruedas DE acero".

¿No se usa "de" con el verbo hacer? "El pan se hace DE trigo", yes we would in that example, let's see others.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 mins (2004-03-31 14:52:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

You have two Mexican examples already! 100 millones de mexicanos no pueden estar equivocados... sólo diferentes.

Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 10:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 290

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  MJ Barber: Henry has it. The seats are not MADE OF fabric, they are upholstered in it. In English it would be (velvet) seats, in Spanish, asientos en terciopelo. (p.eg.) Otherwise, when speaking of the material things are MADE of, it would be DE. (Spain usage, btw
35 mins
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
spanish preposition usage for material
they are different things


Explanation:
In the case you mention, the same could apply to english, as far as I know. You see, the chair is not made of cloth/tela entirely, just its finishing, as it could be in leather, wood...So, in that case, 'en tela' stands for 'acabado/guarnecido/tapizado en tela'. This is very common in spanish. If the thing is made of one material entirely, like the wheel of your example, you would never say 'en acero', as it would mean something like 'finished in steel', not 'made of steel'.

Anyway, this was just my first thought, wait for other points of view.

Hope it helped

Miquel
Spain
Local time: 18:32
PRO pts in category: 11
Grading comment
Very helpful. This is what I was thinking...

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Blanca González
5 mins
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
spanish preposition usage for material
está hecho de (no en)


Explanation:
lo correcto, en mi opinión, es "de" (según el RAE, diccionario CLAVEK, etc,) aunque también se oye, con bastante frecuencia, "en", sobre todo con acabado "en piel" pero considero que no es del todo correcto.


jomasaov (X)
Local time: 18:32
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 48
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