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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

Mírala, mírala, mírala, mírala

English translation: behold...

10:48 Dec 4, 2017
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Spanish term or phrase: Mírala, mírala, mírala, mírala
A fun one....

I have to translate a tweet relating to the Christmas lights on the Puerta de Alcala and the tweet says:

Mírala, mírala, mírala, mírala, la Puerta de Alcalá

obviously referring to the Alejandra Guzman song.

I'm also under time pressure of course and nothing springs to mind. All offerings welcome.
Jane Martin
Local time: 21:35
English translation:behold...
Explanation:
The slightly archaic feel of "behold" is suitable for a more traditional seasonal greeting. I don't know how I feel about repeating it 5 times though :-)

How about "Be ho, ho, ho, ho hold, it, it's the gate of Alcalá" to the tune of "somos e-e-e-e-e-woks"...?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I36l2bFQuXA&feature=youtu.be

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Note added at 6 hrs (2017-12-04 17:29:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or else:
"Look at thá, look at thá, look at thá, look at thá , look at thá, the gate of Alcalá"
(using the accented á as a glottal stop)
Selected response from:

neilmac
Spain
Local time: 22:35
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2there it is, look, look, look,
Steven Huddleston
4 +1behold...
neilmac
3Look at it, check it out, contemplate
David South
3There it is, there it is, there it is, there it is
Charles Davis
3Look at her, look at her
Adoración Bodoque Martínez
3See! See! See!
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
3Tralala, tralala, tralala, behold the Puerta de Alcala
Carol Gullidge


Discussion entries: 9





  

Answers


21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Look at it, check it out, contemplate


Explanation:
I personally like the second one better

David South
Spain
Local time: 22:35
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ItalianItalian
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you... I was hoping to find similar song lyrics....

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34 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
There it is, there it is, there it is, there it is


Explanation:
That's how I imagine it going in English, and you could sing it to the melody. It's actually literally what the lyrics say at the end of each verse:
"Ah! y ahí está, y ahí está. Ahí está, ahí está viendo pasar el tiempo la Puerta de Alcalá."
So it would imply repeating this.
But anything like "Look at it" sounds false, I think.

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Note added at 36 mins (2017-12-04 11:24:23 GMT)
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I was assuming you want to keep the same song reference.

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Note added at 37 mins (2017-12-04 11:26:15 GMT)
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I think anyone who knows the song would get it.

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 22:35
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 287
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40 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Look at her, look at her


Explanation:
If you want it to rhyme, like the Spanish version, you could say:

'Look at her, look at her, the Puerta de Alcalá!'

Adoración Bodoque Martínez
Ireland
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 23

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  AllegroTrans: describing this as "her" in English doesn't work for me
6 hrs
  -> As this is part of the lyrics of a song, I do not see the problem with personifying the monument; something also done in its original Spanish version: "...ahí está viendo pasar el tiempo la puerta de Alcalá").
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49 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
there it is, look, look, look,


Explanation:
just another variation of the theme

Steven Huddleston
Mexico
Local time: 14:35
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Patricia Fierro, M. Sc.
10 hrs
agree  MollyRose: Or lookee, lookee! Or lookie there!
1 day 6 hrs
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35 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
behold...


Explanation:
The slightly archaic feel of "behold" is suitable for a more traditional seasonal greeting. I don't know how I feel about repeating it 5 times though :-)

How about "Be ho, ho, ho, ho hold, it, it's the gate of Alcalá" to the tune of "somos e-e-e-e-e-woks"...?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I36l2bFQuXA&feature=youtu.be

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2017-12-04 17:29:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or else:
"Look at thá, look at thá, look at thá, look at thá , look at thá, the gate of Alcalá"
(using the accented á as a glottal stop)

Example sentence(s):
  • Behold the Spirit of Christmas in your Hands.

    https://www.steveshallmark.com/index.cfm/Behold_The_Spirit_Of_Christmas_In_Yours_Hands_Precious_Moments_2419.htm
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8bqcoqfYds
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 22:35
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 207

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Phoenix III: Be ho-ho-ho-hold it, it's the Gate of Alcalá, purrrfect!
2 hrs
  -> LOL, tx for the agree :-)
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
See! See! See!


Explanation:
Either leave it in Spanish or keep it simple (only 3 times is enough).



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Note added at 7 hrs (2017-12-04 18:35:49 GMT)
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Or maybe "See tha, see tha, see tha, the Puerta de Alcalá" (I would leave the name in Spanish).

Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
Spain
Local time: 22:35
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 21
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1 day 5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Mírala, mírala, mírala, mírala, la Puerta de Alcalá
Tralala, tralala, tralala, behold the Puerta de Alcala


Explanation:
I wouldn't translate the proper name of what is in fact a monument or landmark - unless it is one that is already generally translated. After all, we don't translate the "Arc de Triomphe"... Reminds me of all those poor British tourists wandering forlornly around Marbella searching for the Plaza de los Naranjos in the mistaken belief that it was called "Orange Square"!



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Note added at 1 day 6 hrs (2017-12-05 16:50:17 GMT)
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In fact, I dont know if it's supposed to, but strictly speaking, the ST doesn't rhyme, since the stress on "Mírala" is on the first syllable (mí) and on Alcalá it is on that final á. So we probably don't need to worry unduly about close rhyming.
And I've just realised that in my answer I omitted the final accent on Alcalá - for which I apologise!

Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:35
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 214

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Robert Carter: Actually Carol, if you listen to the song, they sing it as "miralá" with the accent on "la".
8 hrs
  -> Ha ha, thanks Robert for putting me in the picture - should've listened to the song! However, that doesn't affect the answer posted
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