Spanish term
United States
24 years of experience in many countries
Native in: Spanish 
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, English to French, and 6 more.
cumplieron estos propósitos al pie de la letra.
Is okay to translate it as"They fullfilled their goals very precisely or very carefully??
This is from the story about The hen that laid the golden eggs of Aesop and Félix María de Samaniego
Here is the full paragraph:
Durante las semanas siguientes, cumplieron estos propósitos al pie de la letra. La llevaban todos los días hasta la hierba verde que crecía ¡unto al estanque del pueblo, y todas las noches la acostaban en una cama de paja, en un rincón caliente de la cocina.
Oct 2, 2021 10:27: Adrian MM. changed "Level" from "PRO" to "Non-PRO"
Non-PRO (3): Toni Castano, Carol Gullidge, Adrian MM.
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Proposed translations
They did these things as instructed
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Note added at 8 mins (2021-10-02 08:20:22 GMT)
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NB: Your own suggestion seems quite unsuitable to me; other colleagues may disagree.
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Note added at 9 mins (2021-10-02 08:21:12 GMT)
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For example, "instructed" in my response will not work unless they were actually following instructions...
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Note added at 10 mins (2021-10-02 08:22:14 GMT)
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Other options could be "they did exactly this/they did exactly as they were told..."
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Note added at 11 mins (2021-10-02 08:22:55 GMT)
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Durante las semanas siguientes, cumplieron estos propósitos al pie de la letra. -> Over the following weeks, they did just that.
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Note added at 1 day 12 mins (2021-10-03 08:24:12 GMT)
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Vale. Para un cuento folklórico como ese, cuanto más simple, mejor. Por ello, para seguir "Debemos tratarla muy bien.", opino que "And, in the weeks to follow, they did just that...." funciona mejor, y es el registro adecuado.
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Note added at 1 day 15 mins (2021-10-03 08:27:39 GMT)
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NB: The context of the previous sentence now shows that "instructions" is neither appropriate nor necessary. I therefore amend my suggestion to ""And, in the weeks to follow, they did just that...."
| Hi neilmac, Thanks for your help. Here are the previous paragraph before that one in the Kudoz Question: Es verdad que tenemos una gallina que pone huevos de oro. ¡Piensa en lo ricos que seremos si pone un huevo como éste todos los días! Debemos tratarla muy bien. Thanks again. |
| Thanks for your help Neilmac. |
Spain
The Right Word Used in the Right Context
Native in: English (Variant: UK)
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish
the carefully achieved their goals paying attention the smallest details
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Note added at 3 hrs (2021-10-02 11:22:03 GMT)
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It should read paying attention TO the smallest detail. My mistake due to correcting what I wrote, sorry :-0((
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Note added at 3 hrs (2021-10-02 11:29:04 GMT)
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"THEY carefully achieved their goals/aims by paying attention to the smallest details" is what I wanted to suggest. Sorry for my mistakes :-0((
| Thanks Eileen. |
| neutral |
Domini Lucas
: Yes, the more I think of it the more I think you're right re not instructions. It's the bit that jarred for me before extra context. Trouble is that with goals/plans etc I find Eng sentences so far a bit laboured, hence neutral though agree in principle
20 mins
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OK, thanks
|
United Kingdom
Academic and Literary Translator
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: Spanish to English, Greek to English
they carried out these instructions down to the very last detail
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Note added at 1 hr (2021-10-02 10:10:46 GMT)
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I was going to add to the letter as an option, but noticed as I was writing that Carol has already proposed it.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2021-10-02 10:21:12 GMT)
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this link does talk about fulfilling intentions which suits propósitos better. and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ re carrying out intentions in which case carried out/fulfilled their intentions to the letter (though Carol pipped me to the post on ... to the letter so those points would be hers).
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Note added at 3 hrs (2021-10-02 11:28:11 GMT)
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Perhaps their plans ties together goals and intentions better. Something like they fulfilled every detail of their plans. I do think the detail part needs some emphasis.
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Note added at 3 hrs (2021-10-02 11:31:01 GMT)
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or their plans to the letter
| Thanks Domini. |
| agree |
neilmac
: But the context now shows that "instructions/ to the very last detail" are no longer appropriate :-)
22 hrs
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