Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
What in the world...?
Spanish translation:
¿Qué diablos ...?
Added to glossary by
Mónica Algazi
Nov 26, 2017 23:04
6 yrs ago
16 viewers *
English term
what in the world...?
Non-PRO
English to Spanish
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
expression for surprise
Phrase: What in the world was going on?
Document: Steampunk Adult fiction book
Readers: Adults
Country: Mexico
Translations that I was considering:
¿Qué demonios estaba pasando?
Or...
¿Qué estaba pasando?
Expect, I've never heard ANYONE from Mexico use the first expression. And since Mexico Spanish is filled with interesting expressions, I wanted to use one instead of just leaving it out. I just can't think of one that works as simply an expression of surprise. Also, the setting is in the past, around the 1800's so I can't use anything involving modern technology.
Any ideas?
Document: Steampunk Adult fiction book
Readers: Adults
Country: Mexico
Translations that I was considering:
¿Qué demonios estaba pasando?
Or...
¿Qué estaba pasando?
Expect, I've never heard ANYONE from Mexico use the first expression. And since Mexico Spanish is filled with interesting expressions, I wanted to use one instead of just leaving it out. I just can't think of one that works as simply an expression of surprise. Also, the setting is in the past, around the 1800's so I can't use anything involving modern technology.
Any ideas?
Proposed translations
(Spanish)
| 3 +7 | ¿Qué diablos ...? |
Mónica Algazi
|
| 4 +1 | Pero ¿qué estaba pasando? |
Liliana Garfunkel
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References
| ¿qué diablos...? |
Charles Davis
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Change log
Nov 28, 2017 21:51: Mónica Algazi Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+7
26 mins
Mónica Algazi
Uruguay
Uruguay
Native in Spanish
Specializes in field
Uruguay
ATA-certified English-Spanish translator
Native in: Spanish (Variant: Latin American) 
Works in: English to Spanish
Related KudoZ points
:
180
Selected
¿Qué diablos ...?
Una opción.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Charles Davis
: Exactamente lo que estaba a punto de proponer. Pondré mi respuesta como referencia.
15 mins
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Gracais, Charles. ¡Buena semana!
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| agree |
lorenab23
: :-) great option Moniquita!
20 mins
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¡Gracias, Lorenita! : ) ¡Buena semana!
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| agree |
Christian [email protected]
40 mins
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Gracias, Christian. ¡Buena semana!
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| agree |
Paul García
: Bien hecho, Mónica.
1 hr
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Gracias, Paul. ¡Buena semana!
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| agree |
JohnMcDove
: Sí, o "¡Qué demonios!" :-)
2 hrs
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De acuerdo. ¡Gracias, John!
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| agree |
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
9 hrs
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Gracias, Bea. ¡Buena semana!
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| agree |
Robert Forstag
14 hrs
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Gracias, Robert. ¡Buena semana!
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "¡Gracias!"
+1
13 hrs
Liliana Garfunkel
Argentina
Argentina
Native in Spanish
Argentina
Reliable. Computing skills.
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
7
Pero ¿qué estaba pasando?
Otra opción para diferenciarlo de "What the hell...?
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Luximar Arenas Petty
: Me gusta esta opción como alternativa ya que algunas personas simplemente no usan el infame What the hxxx...?
11 hrs
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Gracias, Luximar :)
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Reference comments
44 mins
Reference:
¿qué diablos...?
Mientras preparaba mi respuesta, Mónica ha puesto lo que iba a proponer, así que la pongo aquí:
This has been common for centuries; there are quite a few examples of it in Don Quijote, for example. And it was certainly used in Mexico in the nineteenth century and is still used there today.
If you want something more vulgar and contemporary, there's "¿qué chingados...?", but I think "¿qué diablos...?" is the one to use.
A recent example:
""¿Qué diablos está pasando en Colima?”, cuestiona el periodista Ruiz Healy"
http://www.centralnd.com.mx/articulos/que-diablos-esta-pasan...
And one from the mid-nineteenth century:
"¿Qué diablos nos pasa, pues, que casi nos ha convertido en momías ambulantes?"
From El renacimiento: periódico literario, Volume 2 (Mexico City, 1869), p. 81
https://books.google.es/books?id=RT1KAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA81&dq="qu...
This has been common for centuries; there are quite a few examples of it in Don Quijote, for example. And it was certainly used in Mexico in the nineteenth century and is still used there today.
If you want something more vulgar and contemporary, there's "¿qué chingados...?", but I think "¿qué diablos...?" is the one to use.
A recent example:
""¿Qué diablos está pasando en Colima?”, cuestiona el periodista Ruiz Healy"
http://www.centralnd.com.mx/articulos/que-diablos-esta-pasan...
And one from the mid-nineteenth century:
"¿Qué diablos nos pasa, pues, que casi nos ha convertido en momías ambulantes?"
From El renacimiento: periódico literario, Volume 2 (Mexico City, 1869), p. 81
https://books.google.es/books?id=RT1KAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA81&dq="qu...
Note from asker:
| Gracias! |
Peer comments on this reference comment:
| agree |
lorenab23
: Wow great reference from 1869!
2 mins
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Thanks, Lorena :)
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| agree |
Paul García
: Good work, Charles.
41 mins
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Thanks, Paul :)
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| agree |
JohnMcDove
: "Y qué caray, apuro un tequila, te cargo en las ancas y nos vamos los dos P: ¡No Bernardo, contigo no voy a ningún lado!" (Les Luthiers, Serenata Mariachi...)
2 hrs
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Otra fuente que habría que tener en cuenta, como siempre. Me gusta "Qué caray". Gracias, John ;-)
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| agree |
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
9 hrs
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Gracias y saludos, Bea :-)
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Discussion