"Vi una luz en la distancia."

Translation: I saw a light in the distance.

[senor-t]

As far as DL is concerned I'd like to be able to say - 'I see some light at the end of the tunnel!'

[iyphd]

"Veo alguna luz al fin del túnel!" ¿No?

[martinlus]

Don't go into the light! :o)

[Jeffrey855877]

Brad and Janet: "There's a light, light
In the darkness of everybody's life."

[mprdo]

Jeffrey, did others catch your cult movie reference? Maybe Transyl...vah...neee..ya is the place to be. 12Jul17

[Jeffrey855877]

From the pictures I've seen, Transylvania is really quite beautiful - at least during the day.
After Dracula in it's various forms, I don't know that I'd want to go there. I think I'd be uncomfortable, you know - like someone looking over my shoulder in the dark, breathing down the back of my neck.

[Jeffrey855877]

Have you ever watched the film, "Shadow of the Vampire"? It's a film about making the film Nosferatu (1922), in which production "is hampered by the fact that its star Max Schreck [Willem Dafoe] is taking the role of a vampire far more seriously than seems humanly possible." One of the best vampire movies made.

[mprdo]

will keep eyes open for "Shadow..." 13Jul17

[JoseChempa]

In my studies I have seen sentence using "at a distance"in British English.

[linburnlane]

I believe there is a very subtle difference. "I saw the light IN THE DISTANCE" refers to the location of the light. "I saw the light AT A DISTANCE" refers to MY location in relation to the light; ie: I saw the light from a distance.

[rspreng]

And it is correct in the USA. Duo probably prefers "in" so learners are not tempted to use "a el distancia" and 'la' is definitely 'the,' not 'a.' If you paraphrase the English rather than translate he Spanish, trouble looms. ;)

[Jeffrey855877]

Yes, that's right, both in the UK and USA. The only distinction I can think of concerns the brightness of the light - "It was so bright, it could be seen at a distance". That may refer to your light or someone else's light, when that someone's light is at a distance - is relatively far away. "In the distance" is more general, sometimes vague: "we could see the lights of the city in the distance". Usually, "in the distance" is further away from "at a distance".

Perhaps this example will help: "The sniper could see the camp-fires of the enemy in the distance, so he crept towards the light. When he was closer, he could see men smoking, the light from the burning ends of their cigarettes clearly visible at a distance. Such easy targets. When would they learn that smoking can kill you."

[mprdo]

Another nice 'zample! 12jul17

[AnaKerie]

Es el Hotel California

[eschwartz6]

Soy muerto!

[edwigp]

Estoy muerto!

[mprdo]

Agree with your intent of permanence, but like with "la cucaracha", death is not "ser", but "estar"; actually rather encouraging...eh? 12Jul17

[rmvp1rta]

"I saw a light in the distance" is something I never used. However I have used 'I saw a light not far' or 'I saw a light in the horizon'. In French I would say 'J'ai vu une lumière au loin". Is "I saw a light in the distance" comon English for most English speakers?

[linburnlane]

Depending on the situation, yes; it can be considered common English :)

[Jeffrey855877]

Yes

[Jeffrey855877]

"on the horizon" not "in the horizon".

[deactivated user]

That was a train, and you were alive.

[Kele981]

I heard this and want to share it with you. "lejanía" means distance between two persons while "distancia" between objects or person and object. Please if there is native speaker can help.