comece vs começa

English translation: Stop making things up!

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Portuguese term or phrase:comece vs começa
English translation:Stop making things up!
Entered by: Nick Taylor

14:12 Apr 2, 2020
Portuguese to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
Portuguese term or phrase: comece vs começa
These two forms of começar appear in a dialogue between two friends, only two lines apart, which is to say, it's the same person using both forms, with the same interlocutor. My confusion is why one is conjugated as a third-person command, the other as a second-person command, and should I be translating them differently to reflect this change? The first sentence is: "Não comece a usar desta sua rispidez sorrateira." I've translated it as "Don't start using that sly sarcasm of yours." But then, after he replies, with "Está vendo como você está confusa?", she says "Não tem nada de confuso, não começa a inventar coisas." I've translated this, also, as "Don't start inventing things." Am I missing something? Thanks!
AJSComm
Local time: 08:32
Stop making things up!
Explanation:
Stop making things up!

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Note added at 1 hr (2020-04-02 15:19:28 GMT)
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And you can stop with the smirking sarcasm!

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Note added at 1 hr (2020-04-02 15:27:11 GMT)
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Or even "supercilious sarcasm" for more alliterative stylistic Sibilance
Selected response from:

Nick Taylor
Local time: 12:32
Grading comment
Thanks, Nick! Good idea to differentiate the two with the "can" construction on the first, which to me, also, seems less strong, although both are commands.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5Stop making things up!
Nick Taylor
3you start
Rui Pedro


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Stop making things up!


Explanation:
Stop making things up!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2020-04-02 15:19:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

And you can stop with the smirking sarcasm!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2020-04-02 15:27:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or even "supercilious sarcasm" for more alliterative stylistic Sibilance

Nick Taylor
Local time: 12:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 98
Grading comment
Thanks, Nick! Good idea to differentiate the two with the "can" construction on the first, which to me, also, seems less strong, although both are commands.
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
you start


Explanation:
I'd translate the second phrase "não começa a inventar coisas" as "Don't you start inventing things"
The "you" inclusion would be a way to reinforce the second-person command in the translation

Rui Pedro
Portugal
Local time: 12:32
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 4
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