APROVECHAR, SACAR PROVECHO

English translation: Take advantage of/Get the most out of somthing

05:53 Aug 20, 2001
Spanish to English translations [Non-PRO]
Spanish term or phrase: APROVECHAR, SACAR PROVECHO
HE ENCONTRADO TO USE PARA APROVECHAR, PERO AYER ESCUCHE OTRA PALABRA, PERO NO SE EXACTAMENTE COMO ERA.
FAIMY
English translation:Take advantage of/Get the most out of somthing
Explanation:
Hi!

I'm just chiming in to clarify the use of "to take advantage of." Flavio is right when he says that "To take advantage of someone" can be used to express the exploitation or abuse of a weaker person. However, you can also take advantage of time... making the best of what you have. You can take advantage of the fact that your best friend is at your house to have her cut your hair. You can take advantage of just about anything, and it always means to make the best out of or get the most out of a particular situation. It's connotation can be as positive as it can be negative, and it is used very frequently in both cases. Don't be afraid to use it in positive ways! :)

I would never translate aprovechar as "to use." It's extremely vague and loses practically all its meaning. It would be better to say "make the most of something (a situation), make the best of something (a situation), get the most out of something (a situation), take what you can from something (a situation)..."

Hope this helps! :)
Selected response from:

AngelaMR
Grading comment
Muchas gracias!!! (a Flavio también, estaba indecisa a cual darle los puntos, ambas respuestas fueron muy buenas). A todos los que respondieron, también les doy las gracias.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
na +1see explanation below
FJPN
na +1to profit from
Patricia Lutteral
naTake advantage of/Get the most out of somthing
AngelaMR
na -1To take advantage of...
Ivan Sanchez
na -1Ver posibilidades...
Flavio Ferri-Benedetti


  

Answers


4 mins peer agreement (net): -1
To take advantage of...


Explanation:
Just a hint.
Luck!

Ivan Sanchez
Local time: 22:36
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 168

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Flavio Ferri-Benedetti: No.porque se trata de "aprovecharse", no de "aprovechar"; es un "no mismo sentido"
34 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

9 mins peer agreement (net): +1
see explanation below


Explanation:
The other colleague who has suggested "to take advange of" is right, but further information on the whole sentence would be required to get the most accurate translation. For example, when Spanish native speakers say "aprovechar la oportunidad o la ocasión", English native speakers would say "to take the opportunity", so I hope you understand it is quite difficult to help you with this. I would be available for further consultation if you wish. Good luck.

FJPN
Spain
Local time: 03:36
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in pair: 116

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  AngelaMR: right.
2 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

14 mins peer agreement (net): +1
to profit from


Explanation:
Esto sería beneficiarse, obtener ganancias. Pero como te dicen los colegas, depende de lo que quieras decir exactamente, porque tienes grados de significados según qué y cómo lo digas.

Saludos,

Patricia

Patricia Lutteral
Argentina
Local time: 23:36
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in pair: 505

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Gabriela Tenenbaum (X): seize on this!
57 mins
  -> Hi, there! Tks :-))
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

36 mins peer agreement (net): -1
Ver posibilidades...


Explanation:
Hola Faimy :)

Aquí tienes consejos del Collins.

Aprovechar : Use (uso general)

Luego para expresar que has sacado el máximo provecho de algo:

de tiempo, espacio u ocasión : to make the most of...

(I made the most of the time) --> Saqué todo el provecho de mi tiempo

de experiencia : to make use of...

Sacar provecho también es "to make the most of sth."

Take advantage es incorrecta en cuanto no es exactamente "aprovechar" sino APROVECHARSE es decir abusar de alguien o algo, incluso violar sexualmente.

Espero haberte ayudado :)

Flavio


    Collins
    Estudiante de Traducci�n
Flavio Ferri-Benedetti
Switzerland
Local time: 03:36
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in pair: 72

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  AngelaMR: :) You're both right & wrong... see below.
1 hr
  -> That's ok but was it necessary to disagree? ;)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs
Take advantage of/Get the most out of somthing


Explanation:
Hi!

I'm just chiming in to clarify the use of "to take advantage of." Flavio is right when he says that "To take advantage of someone" can be used to express the exploitation or abuse of a weaker person. However, you can also take advantage of time... making the best of what you have. You can take advantage of the fact that your best friend is at your house to have her cut your hair. You can take advantage of just about anything, and it always means to make the best out of or get the most out of a particular situation. It's connotation can be as positive as it can be negative, and it is used very frequently in both cases. Don't be afraid to use it in positive ways! :)

I would never translate aprovechar as "to use." It's extremely vague and loses practically all its meaning. It would be better to say "make the most of something (a situation), make the best of something (a situation), get the most out of something (a situation), take what you can from something (a situation)..."

Hope this helps! :)

AngelaMR
PRO pts in pair: 24
Grading comment
Muchas gracias!!! (a Flavio también, estaba indecisa a cual darle los puntos, ambas respuestas fueron muy buenas). A todos los que respondieron, también les doy las gracias.
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.

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:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search