Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Italian term or phrase:
bisogna farsi trovare pronti
English translation:
it does not matter whether you are prepared or not
Added to glossary by
Lara Barnett
Dec 5, 2017 10:30
6 yrs ago
Italian term
bisogna farsi trovare pronti
Italian to English
Art/Literary
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Character-based fiction
The character, who writes for a comic strip publication, has just been discussing the talent of a designer/artist he has met, who is trying to break into this sort of work with her drawings. The discussion has mentioned how she has talent but needs to improve on a couple of things, find more confidence and with persistence and luck she will succeed.
(Note: Up to now there has been no mention of who "gli altri" may be, so I assume it is regarding others working in this area or in his department.)
Talento, costanza, fortuna; già, fortuna è la parola chiave. So cosa significa avere l’occasione giusta. Senza quella, tutto il resto serve a ben poco. E hanno voglia gli altri a dire che bisogna comunque farsi trovare pronti.
(Note: Up to now there has been no mention of who "gli altri" may be, so I assume it is regarding others working in this area or in his department.)
Talento, costanza, fortuna; già, fortuna è la parola chiave. So cosa significa avere l’occasione giusta. Senza quella, tutto il resto serve a ben poco. E hanno voglia gli altri a dire che bisogna comunque farsi trovare pronti.
Proposed translations
+2
5 hrs
Selected
it does not matter whether you are prepared or not
The phrase "hanno voglia gli altri a dire" is an idiomatic phrase meaning : it really does not matter that people say you need to be ready....as (in this contest) luck is what matters most
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
-1
6 mins
you need to be sure you're ready/prepared
That's how I read it.
other ways:
make sure that others find you ready / see you're ready
other ways:
make sure that others find you ready / see you're ready
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Lisa Jane
4 mins
|
Thanks :)
|
|
disagree |
bluenoric
: sorry, but this is not what it means, rather the opposite
2 hrs
|
thank you. I learn every day.
|
|
disagree |
Diego Troisi
: Not true
5 hrs
|
That's why we have native speakers! Thank you.
|
8 mins
you have to be prepared
Others are willing to say that you actually have to be prepared
Peer comment(s):
disagree |
Diego Troisi
: While the explanation is true, the sentence provide is not consistent.
5 hrs
|
You mean the sentence provided? I don't understand where is not consistent, the explanation is a sentence. I would appreciate if you clarify please
|
|
agree |
Peter Cox
12 hrs
|
5 hrs
you can tell me to be ready as much as you like
<I know what it's like to have a chance: you can tell me to be ready as much as you like, but the truth is that without luck, all the rest is simply useless>
The expression is a strong, well-known idiom, and it should be probably translated accordingly.
"Gli altri" doesn't refer to anyone in particular (as it is common in Italian), but rather expresses the most common advice, as common as to be itself prototypical of what anyone would probably say in that situation.
The expression is a strong, well-known idiom, and it should be probably translated accordingly.
"Gli altri" doesn't refer to anyone in particular (as it is common in Italian), but rather expresses the most common advice, as common as to be itself prototypical of what anyone would probably say in that situation.
Discussion
*Gli altri* are not necessarily people working in the same area, it is some sort of general opinion shared by many.