Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Italian term or phrase:
fare dei lavori
English translation:
do up (do the place up a bit)
Added to glossary by
Mary Georgina Hardinge
Jul 14, 2010 16:45
13 yrs ago
Italian term
Italy
Knowledge makes the difference
Native in: Italian (Variant: Standard-Italy)
Works in: English to Italian, French to Italian, Italian
fare dei lavori
Italian to English
Bus/Financial
Tourism & Travel
Italian seaside resorts
«Nonostante noi *abbiamo fatto dei lavori* il modello è lo stesso, addirittura gli stessi colori sociali… a lui piaceva l’ombrellone arancio e giallo e noi non li abbiamo cambiati ..."
"Fare dei lavori" is to refurbish or renovate premises. Can anyone think of a more colloquial, familiar way of saying this? Thank you.
"Fare dei lavori" is to refurbish or renovate premises. Can anyone think of a more colloquial, familiar way of saying this? Thank you.
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Jul 19, 2010 15:22: Mary Georgina Hardinge Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
32 mins
Mary Georgina Hardinge
Spain
Spain
Native in English
Spain
Native in: English (Variants: UK, British)
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
we've done the place up a bit
depends what note you want to strike
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you, I needed to stress that the place has undergone some changes."
10 mins
Giuseppe Bellone
Italy
Italy
Native in Italian
Specializes in field
Italy
Anything worth doing is worth doing well
Native in: Italian
Works in: English to Italian, French to Italian
Related KudoZ points
:
11
make some improvements
Perhaps?
21 mins
we had some works done
"Works" means operations in buildings.
Aggiungo una citazione.
"We had some works done in our flat and someone came round to check..."
Aggiungo una citazione.
"We had some works done in our flat and someone came round to check..."
+7
22 mins
spruce up
Well - 'to pimp' came to mind, but that's not well enough understood...so my second idea is srpruce up if an idiomatic form is desired.
Definition
to spruce up phrasal verb 1.(idiomatic) to dress or arrange smartly, elegantly, and neatly; 2.(idiomatic) to refresh, revamp; to freshen or improve something, especially its appearance
Fresh paint and some new curtains would do a lot to spruce up this dark room.
[source Wiktionary]
Definition
to spruce up phrasal verb 1.(idiomatic) to dress or arrange smartly, elegantly, and neatly; 2.(idiomatic) to refresh, revamp; to freshen or improve something, especially its appearance
Fresh paint and some new curtains would do a lot to spruce up this dark room.
[source Wiktionary]
Example sentence:
How to <b>spruce up</b> your home. If you want to sell you house or even just impress your guest with your home there are a few things that you can ... [web source]
If you want a new look to <b>spruce up</b> your home, why don't you try decorating in Swedish Cottage style? [web source]
Reference:
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Ernestine Shargool
: You must have pipped me to the post! :-) .P.S And another excellent explanation.
7 mins
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Thanks Ernestine, you're very kind.
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| agree |
Paul O'Brien
10 mins
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Thanks Pauley
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| agree |
philgoddard
: I like "pimped" as well, but maybe not in this context...
1 hr
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Thanks Phil...Pimp My Ride is my fave show
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| agree |
Sonia Hill
2 hrs
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Merci Sonia
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| agree |
Vincent Lemma
: Good one
3 hrs
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Grazie Vincent
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| agree |
Oliver Lawrence
: 'spruced up the place' (it's not intransitive so we need an object). Personally I loathe the verb 'to pimp'.
13 hrs
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Thanks Oliver
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| agree |
Colin Ryan (X)
: Also "tricked up" in US Eng
17 hrs
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Thanks Ryan - I thought 'tricked up' was for mechanical things. I'll check it out.
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+1
25 mins
Ernestine Shargool
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in Italian
&
English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
Anglo-Italian bicultural transcreator
Native in: English 
, Italian (Variant: Neapolitan)
Works in: Italian to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
spruce up / smarten up (in this context)
We've spruced the place up a bit.
We've smartened the place up a bit.
Chambers online
spruce verb (spruced, sprucing) (usually spruce up) to make oneself, someone or something neat and tidy. sprucely adverb. spruceness noun.
smarten verb (smartened, smartening) tr & intr (usually smarten up) to make or become smarter; to brighten up • You need to smarten your appearance • He should smarten up a bit.
We've smartened the place up a bit.
Chambers online
spruce verb (spruced, sprucing) (usually spruce up) to make oneself, someone or something neat and tidy. sprucely adverb. spruceness noun.
smarten verb (smartened, smartening) tr & intr (usually smarten up) to make or become smarter; to brighten up • You need to smarten your appearance • He should smarten up a bit.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Mr Murray (X)
: I could agree with 'spruce up'
5 mins
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:-))
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42 mins
to give a new look (to)
...would be one way of saying it.
+1
3 hrs
Vincent Lemma
Italy
Italy
Native in Italian
&
English
Italy
Highly experienced technical translator
Native in: English 
, Italian
Works in: Italian to English, English to Italian
Related KudoZ points
:
4
gave the place a facelift
This is a bit more "zesty", but us Americans, we like to sell our novelties the best we can.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Ernestine Shargool
: I like this too... though perhaps it works better with US readers, who are more au fait with facelifts?
1 hr
|
5 hrs
freshened up
the place
6 mins
Simona Vairo
Italy
Italy
Native in Italian
&
English
Works in field
Italy
Precision is Priceless
Native in: English , Italian
Works in: Italian to English, English to Italian
we did some work/ had work done
very familiar :)
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Note added at 12 hrs (2010-07-15 05:20:31 GMT)
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well, these phrases are very commonly used to describe house/bldg refurbishing, and can be followed by "on the place" or "on the house", etc. I suppose it also depends on the context that precedes this sentence. Will the audience know which structure your talking about? Also, I think the best trans. will come from knowing what the piece is from, what it will be used for, the tone, etc. Perhaps you could supply some of this info. great day!
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Note added at 17 hrs (2010-07-15 10:08:06 GMT)
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oh nice, since we are on the informal end of things i think you have a good selection to choose from!
Note from asker:
| Yes, but couldn't it be ANY kind of work? They are referring to constructional work and refurbishment |
| It is an interview for a survey on bathing tourism in Romagna. The people interviewed talk in a very informal manner, sometimes with vocabulary and syntax gaps. A great day to you, too. |
| Yes, even too much choice! :-) |
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