"Eu não posso ficar sem você."

Translation:I cannot be without you.

July 29, 2013

10 Comments
This discussion is locked.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/cloudhorizon

Another correct translation they gave was "I can't live without you" wouldn't a better word for that be viver? Also, can I not translate ficar in this sentence to "stay" ? Sure that would make the sentence more situational, but I don't think it should be counted as wrong...thoughts?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Paulenrique

You're right!! "Ficar" here takes the meaning of "be" or "live", so I think they should accept they both. Surely, a more literal translation for "to live" is "viver", but if the verb "to be" was translated literally, then it would sound awkward to us...


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Danmoller

Viver is one possibility, but there are others.

A manager can say this to one of his workers intening to quit the job, for example.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/cloudhorizon

Thanks. And well, after getting a notification on this question I posted a long time ago, reading it back, I have another one. Can you say "sem si" instead of "sem você"? If not, why not?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Danmoller

No, "si" is reflexive. (At least in PT-BR, I'm not sure about PT-PT).

You can use "ti". "Não posso ficar sem ti".


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/cloudhorizon

Sorry, I'm not sure what the rule is with "reflexive" pronouns. I know I can use "ti" but not when I'm referring to someone as "você". I was just wondering because in Portugal I always heard things like "Isto é para si." Instead of "Isto é para você."


[deactivated user]

    In Portugal, as you have noted, "si" is a pronoun for "você. There is a video of this dialogue on youtube:

    "É então que se dá uma troca de palavras entre moderador e comentador. Dias Ferreira diz a Paulo Garcia: “Não gosto de si”. E o jornalista responde: “O senhor não gosta de mim e eu também não gosto de si."

    Ler mais em: http://www.cmjornal.pt/tv-media/detalhe/dias-ferreira-nao-estou-zangado-com-a-sic


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Danmoller

    Yes, you're right....

    For me (a Brazilian) it is definitely weird. We only use "si" in reflexive ways. Ex: ele não gosta de si = he doesn't like himself

    But "si" will be accepted in the course due to Portugal's usage.


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Wolcoul

    Can this not be translated also as 'I can't stay without you'?


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Paulenrique

    Yes, another possible translation.

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