Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
"faltan cinco para las menos cuarto"
English translation:
it's five minutes till quarter to
Added to glossary by
Marcelo González
Jan 26, 2006 17:18
18 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Spanish term
Broad experience in SUB and DUB
Native in: Spanish
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish
"faltan cinco para las menos cuarto"
Spanish to English
Art/Literary
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Context:
Una persona se tiene que encontrar con la otra a las cinco menos cuarto. "It's twenty to four" sería una linda forma de salir del paso. Pero si quiero mencionar el "menos cuarto", ¿cómo sería? No logro pensar una frase que suene correcta en inglés...
THX!
THX!
Una persona se tiene que encontrar con la otra a las cinco menos cuarto. "It's twenty to four" sería una linda forma de salir del paso. Pero si quiero mencionar el "menos cuarto", ¿cómo sería? No logro pensar una frase que suene correcta en inglés...
THX!
THX!
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
7 mins
Marcelo González
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
PhD in Translation Studies
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish
Related KudoZ points
:
132
Spanish term (edited):
las cinco menos cuarto
Selected
(a) quarter to four
Judging from your description (below), this might be what you meant...
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Note added at 10 mins (2006-01-26 17:28:28 GMT)
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Es decir, cuando usted dice, "una persona...con la otra **a las cinco menos cuarto**"
Suerte, AleTolj!
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Note added at 1 hr (2006-01-26 18:28:20 GMT)
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Excuse me: As Maria Teresa points out below, that would be "a quarter to FIVE" (not "four") :-)
las cinco menos cuarto = (a) quarter to five
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Note added at 1 hr (2006-01-26 18:43:54 GMT)
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Given the latest comments/explanations, I'd say "It's five minutes till quarter to" (without mentioning five)
faltan cinco para las menos cuarto = five minutes till quarter to
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Note added at 5 hrs (2006-01-26 22:56:17 GMT)
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Hola AleTolj,
How about this: "It's/there's (only) five minutes till quarter to [the agreed upon time]" (this use of "it's" is very colloquial, but used quite a bit, especially among certain groups, here in the US)
I agree with Sarah: You wouldn't say "it's five to a quarter to," but "it's five minutes till," YES, e.g., "it's/there's only 10 minutes till the movie starts. Let's get going."
GRAMMAR: There is vs. There are
In the US, there are many instances in which the rules of (prescriptive) grammar require the use of "there are," but people (choose to) use "there is"; this is one of those instances, e.g., "There's only five minutes till lunch. Can we leave?" (asks the low achieving student, who's already closed his book). :-)
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Note added at 10 mins (2006-01-26 17:28:28 GMT)
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Es decir, cuando usted dice, "una persona...con la otra **a las cinco menos cuarto**"
Suerte, AleTolj!
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Note added at 1 hr (2006-01-26 18:28:20 GMT)
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Excuse me: As Maria Teresa points out below, that would be "a quarter to FIVE" (not "four") :-)
las cinco menos cuarto = (a) quarter to five
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Note added at 1 hr (2006-01-26 18:43:54 GMT)
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Given the latest comments/explanations, I'd say "It's five minutes till quarter to" (without mentioning five)
faltan cinco para las menos cuarto = five minutes till quarter to
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Note added at 5 hrs (2006-01-26 22:56:17 GMT)
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Hola AleTolj,
How about this: "It's/there's (only) five minutes till quarter to [the agreed upon time]" (this use of "it's" is very colloquial, but used quite a bit, especially among certain groups, here in the US)
I agree with Sarah: You wouldn't say "it's five to a quarter to," but "it's five minutes till," YES, e.g., "it's/there's only 10 minutes till the movie starts. Let's get going."
GRAMMAR: There is vs. There are
In the US, there are many instances in which the rules of (prescriptive) grammar require the use of "there are," but people (choose to) use "there is"; this is one of those instances, e.g., "There's only five minutes till lunch. Can we leave?" (asks the low achieving student, who's already closed his book). :-)
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Noelia Ruiz Pérez
10 mins
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thanks, 123translate!
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| disagree |
María Teresa Taylor Oliver
: Perdón... "Cinco menos cuarto" es "a quarter to FIVE".
47 mins
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Maria Teresa, I'd appreciate it if you could take a look at my latest note. Thanks
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you all! I'll choose "It's five minutes till quarter to" because I need to mention the "quarter to".
Thank you all again for your help."
+1
7 mins
Elizabeth Lyons
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Scientist / Linguist
Native in: English (Variants: UK, US) 
Works in: French to English, Italian to English, Portuguese to English, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
12
four forty-five 4:45
If this is what you are asking, given Henry's note and your original question, I am not so sure!
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Marcelo González
: Elizabeth, given the fact it actually refers to a time 5 minutes before a quarter to five, it would appear this agree might not be all that warranted. (I've since changed my answer, as well.) I'm sure you understand if I remove my agree. Regards & thanks
1 hr
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Yes, a quarter to five is also correct - many thanks! : ))
|
+1
21 mins
Sarah McGrane Gonzalez
Native in Spanish
&
English
Works in field
Business/Financial Expert
Native in: Spanish , English
Works in: Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
a twenty to (see below for clarification)
My understanding is that you want to say twenty to but mentioning the quarter to.
Here if it is 1 or 2 mins before quarter to I'd say "it's two minutes to quarter to". But to be honest if it was five minutes to quarter to I'd just say it's twenty to. Hope that makes sense.
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Note added at 22 mins (2006-01-26 17:40:42 GMT)
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You just wouldn't say it's five minutes to quarter to
Here if it is 1 or 2 mins before quarter to I'd say "it's two minutes to quarter to". But to be honest if it was five minutes to quarter to I'd just say it's twenty to. Hope that makes sense.
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Note added at 22 mins (2006-01-26 17:40:42 GMT)
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You just wouldn't say it's five minutes to quarter to
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
María Teresa Taylor Oliver
: Indeed. It would to a very convoluted way of saying that! The simpler phrase "a twenty to" is enough.
34 mins
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Glad you agree. Thanks Maria Teresa
|
+2
58 mins
tristar
Works in field
five minutes before a quarter to five
.
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Note added at 1 hr (2006-01-26 18:24:33 GMT)
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"Now it's five minutes before a quarter to five"
or alternatively
"In five more minutes it'll be a quarter to five"
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Note added at 1 hr (2006-01-26 18:24:33 GMT)
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"Now it's five minutes before a quarter to five"
or alternatively
"In five more minutes it'll be a quarter to five"
+2
2 hrs
William Pairman
Spain
Spain
Native in English
Spain
Fast, accurate business & law specialist
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
(Only) five minutes (to go) till its a quarter to five
I dont see the problem others are having, your explanation seem perfectly traighforward to me. Two people are looking at the time, saying "only five minutes till..."
Funnily enough, my first thought context wise was "Someone's waiting to finish work" - I've always been a clock watcher :o)
Oh, if you want US English, it'd be "a quarter BEFORE five
¡Suerte!
Funnily enough, my first thought context wise was "Someone's waiting to finish work" - I've always been a clock watcher :o)
Oh, if you want US English, it'd be "a quarter BEFORE five
¡Suerte!
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Mariela Malanij
: I'd simply say: "only five minutes (to go) till a quarter to five."
38 mins
|
| agree |
EirTranslations
19 hrs
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Discussion