May 24, 2009 21:39
14 yrs ago
2 viewers *
English term
Ecuador
Literary Translation, LQA Team
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
catching at straws
English to Spanish
Social Sciences
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Hello,
I was just wondering if **catching at straws** is a kind of a game, or maybe an expression, or a saying???? "Agarrar pajas" no tiene sentido!!
This text is in a written testimony that has been translated from Korean to English:
"I called my wife with a desperate heart. It was like catching at straws. But her voice was unexpectedly kind and sweet. She suggested to me that we start a new life again just because of our son."
Thanks for your help,
Elena
I was just wondering if **catching at straws** is a kind of a game, or maybe an expression, or a saying???? "Agarrar pajas" no tiene sentido!!
This text is in a written testimony that has been translated from Korean to English:
"I called my wife with a desperate heart. It was like catching at straws. But her voice was unexpectedly kind and sweet. She suggested to me that we start a new life again just because of our son."
Thanks for your help,
Elena
Proposed translations
(Spanish)
Proposed translations
+3
15 mins
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
Spain
Spain
Native in Spanish
Specializes in field
Spain
Golf, Literature and Religion Specialist
Native in: Spanish 
Works in: English to Spanish, French to Spanish, Spanish
Related KudoZ points
:
1766
Selected
agarrarse a un clavo ardiendo
Agarrarse a cualquier cosa con tal de no perder la esperanza.
Una posible versión: "Llamé a mi esposa desesperado, como quien se agarra a un clavo ardiendo..."
Una posible versión: "Llamé a mi esposa desesperado, como quien se agarra a un clavo ardiendo..."
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Mariadelpila (X)
: o "aferrarse a un clavo ardiendo"
18 mins
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También, mil gracias María del Pilar - Bea
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| agree |
Juan Carlos García
4 hrs
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Gracias, Juan Carlos - Bea
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| agree |
psicutrinius
6 hrs
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Mucho tiempo sin "verte". Saludos psicutrinius - Bea
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
+1
3 mins
David Russi
United States
United States
Native in English
&
Spanish
Works in field
United States
30+ years, stopped counting...
Native in: English 
, Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
144
aferrarse desesperadamente a alguna esperanza
It's an expression, it means trying hard to hold on to something that is slipping awayOxford
to clutch o catch o grasp at straws aferrarse desesperadamente a una esperanza
to clutch o catch o grasp at straws aferrarse desesperadamente a una esperanza
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Barbara Thomas
: And what you reach out for is very slight, just a straw
10 hrs
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20 mins
Omar Lima Quintana
Native in Spanish
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, French to Spanish, French to English, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
8
era (sentía) como el último suspiro
También: me sentía ínfimo o atrapado y final.
Me gusta este último, porque tiene más fuerza: "triste, solitario y final".
Me gusta este último, porque tiene más fuerza: "triste, solitario y final".
+1
55 mins
Paula Sepúlveda (X)
Spain
Native in English
&
Spanish
Specializes in field
Related KudoZ points
:
59
era como pedir un imposible / lo imposible en vano se pide
En este contexto yo utilizaría esta expresión, porque el hombre hace la llamada pensando que no va a servir de nada, pero luego ve que sí.
No he visto nunca "catching at straws"; la expresión en inglés sería: grasping at straws / clutching at straws
Fig. to depend on something that is useless; to make a futile attempt at something - http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/Clutching at Straws
No he visto nunca "catching at straws"; la expresión en inglés sería: grasping at straws / clutching at straws
Fig. to depend on something that is useless; to make a futile attempt at something - http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/Clutching at Straws
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Jairo Payan
: Me gusta tu primera opción además de que me parece útil tu sustentación.
4 hrs
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Muchas gracias jairo!
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11 hrs
fue como si me estuviera agarrando/asiendo de un pelo
http://www.wordmagicsoft.com/dictionary/es-en/agarrarse de u...
el "pelo" es como las pajas, no sirve para salvarse la vida cuando lo que se necesita es agarrarse de una cuerda fuerte
el "pelo" es como las pajas, no sirve para salvarse la vida cuando lo que se necesita es agarrarse de una cuerda fuerte
Discussion