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How to say a few things (would/could) in Esperanto?

by gmosley96, June 15, 2007

Messages: 5

Language: English

gmosley96 (User's profile) June 15, 2007, 5:24:03 PM

It is still very early in my studies, so please forgive me if these are silly questions with obvious answers.

I am wondering how to say the following:

"If I could help, I would."
"I would go with you if I could."
"I would if I could, but I can't so I shan't."

erinja (User's profile) June 15, 2007, 5:38:45 PM

A friendly reminder - this being the English language forum with tons of beginners, though you can post in Esperanto or any other language, all messages should preferably be accompanied by an English translation, so that everyone can understand.

gmosley96 (User's profile) June 15, 2007, 6:03:48 PM

Here is my attempt at translation - please let me know how I do.

Tiujn frazojn mi versxajne tradukus-
[Those sentences I probably would translate-]

"Se mi kapablus helpi, mi tion farus."
["If I would-capable to-help, I that-thing would-do"]
"Mi irus kun vi se mi kapablus (estus permesita, povus)"
["I would-go with you if I would-capable (would-be permitted, would-be able to)"]

"Mi ja farus se mi havus la kapablon, sed tion mi ne havas do mi ne faros."
["I surely would-do if I would-have the capability, but that-thing I not have so I not will do"]

Tamen, tiuj frazoj estas iom anglecaj, do mi versxajne preferus uzi pli specifajn frazojn.
[However, those sentences are rather ???, so I probably would-prefer to use more specific sentences.]
From the root and the context I take it that "anglecaj" means something like idiomatic English - or something along those lines.

I think the Esperanto did a pretty good job of expressing the ideas that I was asking for help on (at least, from my translation back to English I would have understood them to mean what I was asking how to say).

Miland (User's profile) June 17, 2007, 10:28:11 AM

Perhaps all three could be rendered:

Bedauxrinde, ne eblas por mi.

Regards
Miland

Miland (User's profile) June 17, 2007, 10:30:16 AM

PS. The translation being:
Unfortunately, it's not possible for me.

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