Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
la vida es un trámite
English translation:
Smile. Life is a wonderfully entertaining journey.
Added to glossary by
Matt Valentine
Apr 22, 2015 18:23
9 yrs ago
Spanish term
la vida es un trámite
Spanish to English
Other
Tourism & Travel
Tourist Newsletter
Hi,
I'm translating a tourist newsletter about events in Tenerife from Spanish to British English. One section is about a piece of comedy theatre and is where the difficult expression appears. Below is the section in question to give you some context:
"La comedia teatral más esperada llega a nuestro municipio para hacernos pasar una noche inolvidable. Cuatro actores que bailarán, cantarán, improvisarán, se desnudarán y harán miles de locuras para no dejar a nadie indiferente. Una sucesión de situaciones que sólo parecen cómicas cuando es otro el que las vive. Una carcajada cómplice para un viaje que todos hemos hecho. Bienvenido, tome asiento y espere su turno. Sonría, que la vida es un trámite."
I've currently got "Smile, life is a formality", but I don't think that sounds particularly idiomatic. Could anyone suggest anything more idiomatic please? Thanks in advance
I'm translating a tourist newsletter about events in Tenerife from Spanish to British English. One section is about a piece of comedy theatre and is where the difficult expression appears. Below is the section in question to give you some context:
"La comedia teatral más esperada llega a nuestro municipio para hacernos pasar una noche inolvidable. Cuatro actores que bailarán, cantarán, improvisarán, se desnudarán y harán miles de locuras para no dejar a nadie indiferente. Una sucesión de situaciones que sólo parecen cómicas cuando es otro el que las vive. Una carcajada cómplice para un viaje que todos hemos hecho. Bienvenido, tome asiento y espere su turno. Sonría, que la vida es un trámite."
I've currently got "Smile, life is a formality", but I don't think that sounds particularly idiomatic. Could anyone suggest anything more idiomatic please? Thanks in advance
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Apr 22, 2015 20:33: James A. Walsh changed "Field (specific)" from "Other" to "Tourism & Travel" , "Field (write-in)" from "(none)" to "Tourist Newsletter"
Proposed translations
17 mins
Selected
Smile. Life is a wonderfully entertaining journey.
Getting across the idea that they are going to have a great time as they experience the emotions occasioned by the actors.
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Note added at 18 mins (2015-04-22 18:42:14 GMT)
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Also reflects the idea of traveling as a tourist.
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Note added at 18 mins (2015-04-22 18:42:14 GMT)
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Also reflects the idea of traveling as a tourist.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks, Barbara! :)"
+1
6 mins
Mere formality
In this situation a more idiomatic version could be to add "mere" into the phrase.
Peer comment(s):
neutral |
AllegroTrans
: how would that fit to the rest of the text and the context of a tourist brochure?
2 hrs
|
agree |
Adrian MM. (X)
10 hrs
|
7 mins
we have to get through life
I think this captures the idea of 'unavoidable' that is contained in 'trámite'
Peer comment(s):
neutral |
AllegroTrans
: doesn't sound remotely "touristy" or connected to the rest of the text
2 hrs
|
+2
7 mins
Life's a trip. Smile
Not particularly faithful to the original, but I think it may work here, considering that we're dealing with a tourist newsletter
Peer comment(s):
agree |
AllegroTrans
: Yes, sounds sufficiently "touristy"
2 hrs
|
Thank you, Chris. That's the idea!
|
|
agree |
jpatters
19 hrs
|
Thank you, jpatters
|
57 mins
Smile: this is what life is (all) about
Just a suggestion
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Note added at 1 hr (2015-04-22 19:26:53 GMT)
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Life is a bundle of laughs!
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Note added at 1 hr (2015-04-22 19:26:53 GMT)
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Life is a bundle of laughs!
2 hrs
Spanish term (edited):
Sonría, que la vida es un trámite.
Smile; for life is but a dream.
Dunno why, but as soon as I read this, “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” came straight to mind. And since it’s such a well-known little ditty in the English-speaking world, it could work well in a tourism blurb...
Just an idea.
Just an idea.
Example sentence:
Smile; for life is but a dream.
Smile: life is but a dream.
2 hrs
Smile, we ought to enjoy life!
Not that faithful but I'm struggling to make something work here.
+3
4 hrs
Smile! Life's just a stage
Is this answer too obvious?
Reference:
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/spanish-english/tr%C3%A1mite?showCookiePolicy=true
Peer comment(s):
agree |
AllegroTrans
: Maybe obvious, but tourist brochures are hardly literary masterpieces and this works!
1 hr
|
Thank you AllegroTrans.
|
|
agree |
nataliasuta (X)
11 hrs
|
Thank you Natalia.
|
|
agree |
Carolyn Mc
12 hrs
|
Thank you Carolyn.
|
6 hrs
life is a wonderful world we walk through
:)
9 hrs
life is wonderful.
It suits a tourist literature.
33 mins
life is just a series of queues
OR
life is just a series of bureaucratic hoops
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Note added at 11 hrs (2015-04-23 06:17:57 GMT)
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Another idea occurred to me:
Smile, we've all been there!
life is just a series of bureaucratic hoops
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Note added at 11 hrs (2015-04-23 06:17:57 GMT)
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Another idea occurred to me:
Smile, we've all been there!
Peer comment(s):
neutral |
AllegroTrans
: doesn't sound remotely "touristy" or connected to the rest of the text
1 hr
|
Discussion