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  3. Transport / Transportation / Shipping

cuando ya consiguió una velocidad inalcanzable

English translation: when they get too fast

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:cuando ya consiguió una velocidad inalcanzable
English translation:when they get too fast
Entered by: James A. Walsh

13:07 May 23, 2014
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Transport / Transportation / Shipping
Spanish term or phrase: cuando ya consiguió una velocidad inalcanzable
Context:

En las estaciones de ferrocarril la gente todavía suele correr al lado del vagón, mientras el tren se pone en marcha, y permanecer estupefacta, viendo como se aleja, cuando ya alcanzó una velocidad inalcanzable.

My try: watching it move away/speed away once it has become unreachable.

While this may not be outright wrong, I'm not really happy with it and would appreciate other suggestions.
Thank you.
Marian Martin (X)
Spain
Local time: 21:57
when they get too fast
Explanation:
I think I’d be inclined to keep this as simple as possible in English, as it’s a simple idea and doesn’t really need to be so explicit. I also think you can weed out “carriage” and just use “trains” (in the plural).
Selected response from:

James A. Walsh
Spain
Local time: 21:57
Grading comment
Thank you, James.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2once it reaches a speed they cannot keep up with
Charles Davis
4 +2gather too much speed to keep up with
Lisa McCarthy
4 +1when they get too fast
James A. Walsh
5once it reaches an unattainable/unachievable speed
Diego Sibilia
4once it has gathered too much speed
Carlos Segura
3once it has gained an unattainable speed
Barbara2014


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
once it reaches a speed they cannot keep up with


Explanation:
This might be a way of reflecting the original in a reasonable natural way. (No problem about ending with a preposition, though it was once frowned upon.) Could say "when it reaches", of course, and the tense could be "has reached", but I don't think that's necessary; I'd be inclined to use the simpler and more direct present tense.

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 21:57
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 112

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  franglish
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, franglish :)
agree  Billh
6 hrs
  -> Thanks, Bill :)
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19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
once it has gained an unattainable speed


Explanation:
the train gains speed second by second

Barbara2014
Italy
Local time: 21:57
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
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44 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
once it has gathered too much speed


Explanation:
One option.

Carlos Segura
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:57
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
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16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
gather too much speed to keep up with


Explanation:
-"watching it pull away and gather too much speed to keep up with"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 minutos (2014-05-23 13:27:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"to BE ABLE TO keep up with"



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 minutos (2014-05-23 13:29:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another idea:

"...watching it move away/move off into the distance, its speed making it impossible to follow/chase"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 49 minutos (2014-05-23 13:56:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or "watching it gather pace/speed up and move beyond their reach"

Lisa McCarthy
Spain
Local time: 21:57
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  George Rabel: I like it! By the way, did you notice lthe Spanglish in the system-generated note? "Note added at 19 minutos"
13 mins
  -> Thanks, George! He, he, no I didn't notice the 'minutos' actually - well spotted eagle eye :-)
neutral  philgoddard: How is this different to Charles' answer?
2 hrs
  -> Phil, only the verb 'keep up with' is the same and I didn't copy Charles - it's pretty common usage. Carlos has used the same verb as me, 'gather', but saying anything to him would be splitting hairs in my opinion :)
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: much prefer "gathers" or "has gathered" with "speed"
2 days 23 hrs
  -> Thanks, Gallagy :)
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
cuando ya alcanzó una velocidad inalcanzable
when they get too fast


Explanation:
I think I’d be inclined to keep this as simple as possible in English, as it’s a simple idea and doesn’t really need to be so explicit. I also think you can weed out “carriage” and just use “trains” (in the plural).

Example sentence(s):
  • En las estaciones de ferrocarril la gente todavía suele correr al lado del vagón, mientras el tren se pone en marcha, y permanecer estupefacta, viendo cómo se aleja, <b>cuando ya alcanzó una velocidad inalcanzable</b>.
  • People still often run alongside trains as they pull off at railway stations, and then look on in amazement <b>when they get too fast</b> and speed off into the distance.
James A. Walsh
Spain
Local time: 21:57
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 51
Grading comment
Thank you, James.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard: Yes, this whole sentence can be expressed much more concisely in English. Even more concisely, you could also say "when they get left behind" and leave out "and speed off into the distance".
28 mins
  -> You could indeed, Phil. Cheers.
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1 day 22 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
once it reaches an unattainable/unachievable speed


Explanation:
this is perfect


    Reference: http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=inal...
Diego Sibilia
Italy
Local time: 21:57
Native speaker of: Italian
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