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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

if we had been/ we would have been

Spanish translation: si hubiéramos podido trabajar, habríamos estado trabajando

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:if we had been able to work, we would have been working
Spanish translation:si hubiéramos podido trabajar, habríamos estado trabajando
Entered by: Michael Powers (PhD)

16:01 Sep 23, 2007
English to Spanish translations [Non-PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / frase
English term or phrase: if we had been/ we would have been
Es una frase preliminar de una evaluación sobre una operación de asistencia humanitaria.
If we had been able to work as an organization during the survey phase, we would have been working like a strong institution from the beginning.
Anne Lombard (X)
Local time: 18:51
si hubiéramos podido (trabajar) / habríamos estado trabajando
Explanation:
Mike :)

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Note added at 6 mins (2007-09-23 16:08:01 GMT)
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Lo que escribió Laura está corecto también, ya que hay dos formas para el subjuntivo - puede terminar en -ra, y puede terminar en -se.
Selected response from:

Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 12:51
Grading comment
Gracias a todos!!!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5si hubiéramos podido (trabajar) / habríamos estado trabajando
Michael Powers (PhD)
4 +1si hubiésemos podido / habríamos estado + gerundio
Laura Calvo Valdivielso


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
si hubiésemos podido / habríamos estado + gerundio


Explanation:
Se trata de un periodo condicional hipotético. La frase quedaría: "Si hubiésemos podido trabajar como una organización..., habríamos estado trabajando como una fuerte institución desde el principio".

Laura Calvo Valdivielso
Spain
Local time: 18:51
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in CatalanCatalan

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Daniel Gebauer
0 min
  -> Thanks, Daniel, but Mike hit it first.
neutral  Jennifer Levey: No se trata de un periodo condicional 'hipotético' - tal sería el caso si la frase empieza con "Had it been possible to ...". Conviene utilizar la condicional simple, no el subjuntivo.
5 mins
  -> He usado el subjuntivo en la prótasis y el condicional en la apódosis, pero no veo cómo puede usarse el condicional simple si estamos hablando de una acción del pasado (y por eso es condicional hipotético o imposible), porque no se puede modificar.
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
si hubiéramos podido (trabajar) / habríamos estado trabajando


Explanation:
Mike :)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 mins (2007-09-23 16:08:01 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Lo que escribió Laura está corecto también, ya que hay dos formas para el subjuntivo - puede terminar en -ra, y puede terminar en -se.

Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 12:51
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 207
Grading comment
Gracias a todos!!!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ana Maria Bustos K.
0 min
  -> Gracias, Ana - Mike :)
agree  Sandra García Alonso
1 min
  -> Gracias, Sandra - Mike :)
agree  Daniel Gebauer
2 mins
  -> Gracias, Daniel - Mike :)
agree  Laura Calvo Valdivielso: We were both answering at the same time, but you were faster!
3 mins
  -> Gracias, Laura - Mike :)
agree  Joseph Tein: Hey, Mike, I'd like to Agree on this one even though it's closed already. It's a nice straightforward grammar exercise - although sometimes I see people putting the 'hubiera' form on both sides of the if/then clause, and it gets confusing. Saludos.
2 hrs
  -> Thank you, Joseph - you are right. In non-standard usage, quite often the compound imperfect subjunctive is used instead of the conditional perfect in the resultant clause. - Mike :)
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