This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. Italian to English
  3. Tourism & Travel

dimmi di si

English translation: say yes

14:03 Oct 30, 2006
Italian to English translations [Non-PRO]
Marketing - Tourism & Travel
Italian term or phrase: dimmi di si
Sorry for such an easy question, but this appears in a French text I am translating, and I do not speak Italian at all.
It is the title of an educational campaign in Italy to provide school children with afternoon snacks of fresh fruit.
Would simply "Say yes" be an accurate way of putting this in English?
Many thanks in advance
French Foodie
Local time: 13:09
English translation:say yes
Explanation:
yes
Selected response from:

Maudarg (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:09
Grading comment
thanks to you all for your help
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +13say yes
Maudarg (X)
5 +4Just say yes!
Clifford Marcus
5 +2say yes
Fabiola Mancinelli
4You can't say no!
Rita Bilancio
3tell me yes
Dolores Vázquez


  

Answers


1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +13
say yes


Explanation:
yes

Maudarg (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
thanks to you all for your help

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Fabiola Mancinelli: anche stavolta...questione di secondi ;-)
1 min
  -> grazie e scusa
agree  awilliams
6 mins
  -> thank you
agree  blabli blablou
6 mins
  -> thank you
agree  Alfredo Tutino: or, if the difference is felt to be relevant: "say yes to me"
7 mins
  -> Thank you
agree  Mara Ballarini
15 mins
  -> grazie
agree  silvia b (X)
20 mins
  -> thank you
agree  Katharine Prucha: say yes!
21 mins
  -> thank you
agree  Robert Copeland
25 mins
  -> thank you
agree  Carmy Tutino
29 mins
  -> thank you
agree  Anna Strowe: I'd go with "say yes". If you add "to me", it starts sounding strange.
29 mins
  -> thank you
disagree  Caterina Passari: Alfredo..."say yes to me",xsonalmente,mi fà rabbrividire,come forma grammaticale:) Personalmente,dico...poi...In presenza di oggetto,difatti,si preferisce il verbo "to tell"...ciao
38 mins
  -> say yes e' perfettamente corretto grammaticalmente.C'e' anche una notevole differenza tra "to tell" e "to say"
agree  Claudia Luque Bedregal
1 hr
  -> Thank you
agree  Peter Cox
1 hr
  -> Thank you
agree  Silvia Brandon-Pérez
3 hrs
agree  sericsson: "Dimmi" comes from "Dirsi" -To say to oneself. By conjugation it becomes: dimmi - Say to me. "di si" is kind of possessing fraze, describing a goal.
1371 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
say yes


Explanation:
I'd just say: "say yes": simple and straightforward!


Fabiola Mancinelli
Local time: 13:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Anna Strowe
29 mins
neutral  Caterina Passari: e qui mi riallaccio alla discussione intavolata in privato con Alfredo:c'é differenza NON di significato ma di costruzione grammaticale tra "to say" e "to tell". Mi spiego:potrebbe andare se fosse "Dì di sì" ma c'é quel "dimmi"...Ok,ciao Fabiola e tutti/e
46 mins
agree  Claudia Luque Bedregal
1 hr
neutral  Ivana UK: Caterina - "tell me" vuol dire "raccontami" e non si addice a questo contesto. "tell me yes" equivale "raccontami di si`" ...
3 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
tell me yes


Explanation:
An option.


    Reference: http://www.wordreference.com/iten/dimmi%20di%20si
Dolores Vázquez
Native speaker of: Native in GalicianGalician, Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Caterina Passari: ne faccio una questione puramente grammaticale..é "tell me",dunque:dì a me..."say" is general! A te il mio "agree",dunque:) Hola!
8 mins
  -> Thanks.
agree  Mara Ballarini: as well
13 mins
  -> Thanks.
disagree  Anna Strowe: It's grammatical, but it just doesn't sound natural.
26 mins
agree  GAR
1 hr
  -> Thanks.
disagree  Ivana UK: bad use of English - maybe ok in spoken language but certainly not something I would ever consider writing! I'm not even sure it's gramatically correct ... in fact I don't think it is. No native EN speaker would ever use this.
3 hrs
disagree  Daniela Zambrini: I'm afraid I agree with Anna and Ivana's opinion.
3 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
You can't say no!


Explanation:
I don't think you can refuse...

Rita Bilancio
Local time: 13:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Petja Mladenova: it's changing the meaning, if you want a "yes" that doesn't mean the other party can't say "no".
2 hrs
  -> but it's something tempting you, that's why you won't be able to refuse!
agree  Ivana UK: Personally I think this is the best solution given the context. Although "say yes" is a perfectly valid literal translation, it falls flat in English. Given the context, this seems much more appropriate!
3 hrs
  -> I am really glad you understood my version
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
Just say yes!


Explanation:
I would translate as above because it has a pleasing assonance with the "just say no" campaign against drugs.

Clifford Marcus
Local time: 12:09
Works in field
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nedra Rivera Huntington
4 mins
agree  P.L.F. Persio
25 mins
agree  Hebat-Allah El Ashmawy
2 hrs
agree  Daniela Zambrini
3 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search