23 Comments
"She makes a question" is a very valid way to state the phrase. It is used commonly among english-speakers in Latin America, recognized as useful, and definitely not stupid.
Whoever says it is wrong has a narrow mindset, and needs to go back to school to learn that the way they speak is not the only way to speak.
Is it really an idiomatic expression ? It seems weird to me to use the verb "make"
mauriv is right, in Portuguese and Spanish it's the correct expression "hacer una pregunta" because ask means "preguntar" and repeating the same word sounds weird.
Also, a joke in Spanish is "un cuento/un chiste" but you wouldn't come home and tell your mom "me contaron un cuento" because then she'll laugh at you and will completely forget about the joke like my mom has. You say "Me contaron un chiste" or "me hicieron un cuento."
In Venezuela we say: "me echaron un chiste/cuento" or "vamos a echarte un chiste/cuento" el español es tan variado y hermoso...
Yes, as Deap27m said, spanish and portuguese use make as a way to ask questions
samyduolingo, It is used that way. if we try to literally translate the phrase it would sound weird. It would be "Ela pergunta uma pergunta". the verb "ask" is "perguntar" in portuguese. It is the same for spanish. "Ella pregunta una pregunta". I speak spanish and we also use the verb make (hacer in spanish) for questions.
What about the verb 'pedir' to ask? how is that different to 'fazer' or perguntar?
pedir - to ask for something (ele pediu a bola = he asked for the ball)
perguntar - to ask a question
And "She makes a question" sounds weir in English or why is that not a correct answer?
"She poses a question" should be allowed as an answer as well, souldn't it?
If she has a question, yes. But having a question and asking one aren't the same ;)
The thing is that previously we were given all sorts of strange phrases that make little or no sense in English. But, we were expect to translate them literally as the point was to learn Portuguese, not English. Now, when I translate literally, as in she makes a question, I am told use the English analogue instead. That is what is frustrating and confusing.
I am often frustrated by the translations because, as everyone points out, they can produce weird sentences in English; however, coming here to the discussions is always helpful - enjoyable, too - and a good way of getting an excellent explanation from native Portuguese speakers. We all know that a language cannot be translated word for word, and just have to accept that the verb fazer (to make) is used, and not perguntar (to ask).
I think it's pretty dumb they expect us to know its idiomatic, they should accept "she makes a question" and then correct us so we know in the future
The same value that "to ask" has in this sentence:
- To ask a question = fazer uma pergunta
