Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
viviendo fatal in this context
English translation:
living wretched lives
- The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2017-02-26 19:54:07 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)
Feb 23, 2017 17:20
7 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Spanish term
Spain
The Right Word Used in the Right Context
Native in: English (Variant: UK)
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish
viviendo fatal in this context
Spanish to English
Medical
Medical (general)
Pharmaceutical
"Viviendo fatal" here refers to poor living conditions or poor life experience?
This is the context “Cada vez hay gente más alterada, unos con depresiones muy deprimidos y otros con mucha depresión reactiva, síntomas ansiosos más que deprimidos, pero mucha gente que está viviendo fatal, sorprende que a la gente joven también les pasa con mucha relación con el trabajo, por la presión laboral o porque no trabajan, ..”
This is the context “Cada vez hay gente más alterada, unos con depresiones muy deprimidos y otros con mucha depresión reactiva, síntomas ansiosos más que deprimidos, pero mucha gente que está viviendo fatal, sorprende que a la gente joven también les pasa con mucha relación con el trabajo, por la presión laboral o porque no trabajan, ..”
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +5 | living wretched lives |
Marie Wilson
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| 4 +3 | suffering from poor quality of life |
neilmac
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| 5 | Bad life experience |
Marcela Sciaccaluga
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| 3 | who are [absolutely] miserable |
Robert Forstag
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Proposed translations
+5
1 hr
Selected
living wretched lives
Another option. I think "wretched" sums up "fatal" quite well. It doesn't sound very clinical but then neither does "vivir fatal".
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Note added at 2 hrs (2017-02-23 19:20:48 GMT)
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@Eileen. Thanks, "feel wretched" sounds better.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2017-02-23 19:20:48 GMT)
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@Eileen. Thanks, "feel wretched" sounds better.
Note from asker:
| I have used this, but changed it to "feel wretched" Marie. Thank you. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
neilmac
: I like this, but have a sneaking suspicion that "wretched" might not be commonly used in US English
53 mins
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Thanks, Neil. Oh, I didn't know that.
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| agree |
Muriel Vasconcellos
: 'Wretched' is fine in US English.
4 hrs
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Thanks, Muriel. That's good to know!
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| agree |
JohnMcDove
: In Spanish "fatal" is like "horrible" "awful", their lives are "a mess", type of idea. :-) But remember: "Always look on the bright side of life"... ;-)
13 hrs
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Thanks, John! Yes, very Monty Python!
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| agree |
Charles Davis
: I think "wretched" is spot on; it's very idiomatic and covers all that "fatal" might be referring to.
17 hrs
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Thank you very much, Charles.
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| agree |
Lucy Breen
: yes "wretched" is spot on
18 hrs
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Thank you very much, Lucy.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you very much for your help"
4 mins
Marcela Sciaccaluga
United States
United States
Native in Spanish
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
More than a translation agency
Native in: English 
, Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
Bad life experience
Hi. "Vivir fatal" doesn't necessarily mean having a low quality of life, but having certain factors affecting your life in a negative way, such as stress, poor diet habits, too much work, etc. You could be a millionaire and still "vivir fatal." I hope I was clear. Happy translating!
Note from asker:
| Sounds logical Marcela, thank you very much. |
43 mins
Robert Forstag
United States
United States
Native in English
Works in field
United States
Translating words, preserving meaning
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
243
Spanish term (edited):
que está viviendo fatal
who are [absolutely] miserable
Or, if you prefer, "feel" rather than "are."
This suggestion seems to preserve the register, intended meaning, and subjective experience conveyed in the original.
"Fatal" here is more than just "bad" and "quality of life" is mental health jargon that seems out of place here.
This suggestion seems to preserve the register, intended meaning, and subjective experience conveyed in the original.
"Fatal" here is more than just "bad" and "quality of life" is mental health jargon that seems out of place here.
+3
35 mins
suffering from poor quality of life
An option.
"...but many people suffering from (this kind of) poor quality of life are surprised to find that young people also have issues, often work-related, due to workplace pressure and or because they are unemployed"
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Note added at 36 mins (2017-02-23 17:57:16 GMT)
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If you think "suffering" is too strong you can just use "with" or "having", etc.
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Note added at 1 hr (2017-02-23 18:39:52 GMT)
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I don't agree that "quality of life" can be so airily dismissed as "mental health jargon". In several dictionaries and elsewhere, it is defined as the standard of health, comfort, and happiness experienced by an individual or group.
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/quality...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_of_life
"...but many people suffering from (this kind of) poor quality of life are surprised to find that young people also have issues, often work-related, due to workplace pressure and or because they are unemployed"
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Note added at 36 mins (2017-02-23 17:57:16 GMT)
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If you think "suffering" is too strong you can just use "with" or "having", etc.
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Note added at 1 hr (2017-02-23 18:39:52 GMT)
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I don't agree that "quality of life" can be so airily dismissed as "mental health jargon". In several dictionaries and elsewhere, it is defined as the standard of health, comfort, and happiness experienced by an individual or group.
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/quality...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_of_life
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Manuel Aburto
31 mins
|
| agree |
Wendy Penn (X)
3 hrs
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| agree |
Ana Ribeiro Olson (X)
17 hrs
|
Discussion