Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
como Dios manda
English translation:
properly
Added to glossary by
Charles Davis
Sep 6, 2015 03:37
8 yrs ago
10 viewers *
Spanish term
Not a translator
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Como Dios Manda
Not for points
Spanish to English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Spanish expression
Hello to everyone, I am currently translating a short story from an Argentinian writer. The story was written in 1954, and it has several words and expressions that belong to that country. "Como Dios manda" is an expression that has been very common in Argentina. Eventhough, I do not know if it is still used there.
Examples of the use of this expression:
1- Realicé el trabajo como Dios manda, means that the person did his/her work as expected.
2- Hay que lavarse las manos como Dios manda. This means that it is expected that people wash their hands thoroughly.
3- Deben entregar su tarea como Dios manda. This would possibly mean that the homework must be neat and complete and well done.
I found one entry here in a glossary, but it is related to the Bible. But in the case I am talking about in the short story, "como Dios manda" is just an expression that means: "done properly" or "done correctly".
Is there anyone who could help me out with this?
Thank you!!
Norah
Examples of the use of this expression:
1- Realicé el trabajo como Dios manda, means that the person did his/her work as expected.
2- Hay que lavarse las manos como Dios manda. This means that it is expected that people wash their hands thoroughly.
3- Deben entregar su tarea como Dios manda. This would possibly mean that the homework must be neat and complete and well done.
I found one entry here in a glossary, but it is related to the Bible. But in the case I am talking about in the short story, "como Dios manda" is just an expression that means: "done properly" or "done correctly".
Is there anyone who could help me out with this?
Thank you!!
Norah
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +11 | properly |
Charles Davis
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| 5 +1 | The way God intended |
Giovanni Rengifo
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Change log
Sep 20, 2015 08:27: Charles Davis Created KOG entry
Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:
Non-PRO (1): Charles Davis
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Proposed translations
+11
1 hr
Selected
properly
This is a very common expression in Spanish, not limited to Argentina, and not out of date at all. It is certainly still in common use in Spain.
In English the standard translation is "properly" when it's an adverb (as in your examples), or "proper" when it's an adjective. Examples from the Collins dictionary:
¡siéntate como Dios manda! > sit properly!
a ver si te echas una novia como Dios manda > it's time you got yourself a proper girlfriend
http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=dios
There is no idiomatic literal translation or equivalent set phrase in English.
This doesn't mean it must always be translated "properly". There are other possibilities that can suit particular contexts. "Hazlo como Dios manda" could be "Do it right", for example. Miles Davis famously said of Bill Evans: "He plays the piano the way it should be played". If Miles had been speaking Spanish he might have said: "Toca el piano como Dios manda".
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Note added at 1 day5 hrs (2015-09-07 09:13:45 GMT)
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Very rarely will it be appropriate in English to invoke God in translating this. Giovanni's suggestion of "the way God intended" is in itself an idiomatic expression, and might be used, for example, if we are talking about something with genuinely religious implications. In most cases, however, we are not: it would seem absurd to the "Anglo-Saxon" mind to speak of doing your homework or washing your hands "the way God intended". It could only ever be said humorously; anyone who said it seriously would be regarded as a weird religious fanatic. One important factor here is that Spanish is full of religious expressions used in non-religious contexts, but English much less so, largely because of its protestant heritage: to the protestant mind, invoking God in any but devotional contexts is actually blasphemous.
Thus, for example, you might say "I want to get married the way God intended" for "quiero casarme como Dios manda". But only if you are really thinking of the religious implications of doing it sacramentally, not simply about doing it properly or in style (and that is often what people mean when they use the expression nowadays).
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Note added at 1 day5 hrs (2015-09-07 09:20:04 GMT)
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Protestants have always taken the Third Commandment very seriously and very literally: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain". Modern English has developed in the light of this.
In English the standard translation is "properly" when it's an adverb (as in your examples), or "proper" when it's an adjective. Examples from the Collins dictionary:
¡siéntate como Dios manda! > sit properly!
a ver si te echas una novia como Dios manda > it's time you got yourself a proper girlfriend
http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=dios
There is no idiomatic literal translation or equivalent set phrase in English.
This doesn't mean it must always be translated "properly". There are other possibilities that can suit particular contexts. "Hazlo como Dios manda" could be "Do it right", for example. Miles Davis famously said of Bill Evans: "He plays the piano the way it should be played". If Miles had been speaking Spanish he might have said: "Toca el piano como Dios manda".
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day5 hrs (2015-09-07 09:13:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Very rarely will it be appropriate in English to invoke God in translating this. Giovanni's suggestion of "the way God intended" is in itself an idiomatic expression, and might be used, for example, if we are talking about something with genuinely religious implications. In most cases, however, we are not: it would seem absurd to the "Anglo-Saxon" mind to speak of doing your homework or washing your hands "the way God intended". It could only ever be said humorously; anyone who said it seriously would be regarded as a weird religious fanatic. One important factor here is that Spanish is full of religious expressions used in non-religious contexts, but English much less so, largely because of its protestant heritage: to the protestant mind, invoking God in any but devotional contexts is actually blasphemous.
Thus, for example, you might say "I want to get married the way God intended" for "quiero casarme como Dios manda". But only if you are really thinking of the religious implications of doing it sacramentally, not simply about doing it properly or in style (and that is often what people mean when they use the expression nowadays).
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day5 hrs (2015-09-07 09:20:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Protestants have always taken the Third Commandment very seriously and very literally: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain". Modern English has developed in the light of this.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
philgoddard
: I'm assuming Norah posted this because she was looking for an idiomatic expression. You could say "by the book"
12 mins
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That's a good one! The trouble is, of course, that with any expression it has to be case by case and you have to be a native speaker to get it right. "By the book" would be perfect in some sentences and would grate in others.
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| agree |
Adolfo Fulco
: Estoy de acuerdo con todos los ejemplos y las formas de decirlo en inglés. Lo primero que se me vino a la cabeza fue "as it should be". Saludos!
15 mins
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Gracias y saludos, Adolfo :)
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| agree |
neilmac
: Or even "right" ... (do it right)...
2 hrs
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Right on... (see my last para for exactly that example!) Cheers, Neil ;)
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| agree |
franglish
2 hrs
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Thanks, franglish :)
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| agree |
Marina56
: ok
3 hrs
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Thanks, Marina :)
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| agree |
Noni Gilbert Riley
: Yes, the sense of no shirking, and thorough.
4 hrs
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Absolutely... in such a way as to pass muster with the nuns... Thanks, Noni!
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| agree |
Elizabeth Joy Pitt de Morales
: Wonderful explanation of your suggestion, as always.
6 hrs
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Thanks very much, Liz :)
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| agree |
mcgarrammone
: I agree, the phrase isn´t limited to Argentina. But as philgoddard said, I think that an idiomatic expression would be better suited in this case. My opinion is that "properly" doesn´t include the complexity of "como dios manda".
6 hrs
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Thanks! Perhaps not, but it is often not possible to find an idiomatic expression for this that is idiomatic in context. We don't really have an equivalent. And actually I don't think that "como Dios manda" is particularly complex.
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| agree |
Jennifer Levey
: 'properly' is a very good generic option, but I would adapt the translation to something more idiomatic to each specific context/register. eg: "You must wash your hands good 'n' proper."
6 hrs
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Thanks, Robin. I certainly agree, but as I said to Phil, you have to be a native speaker to get the right expression for the context. I feel that any such suggestion here would be liable to produce a lot of bad translation in the hands of non-natives.
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| agree |
Michele Fauble
15 hrs
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Thanks, Michele :)
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| agree |
AllegroTrans
: This works, but it is possible to vary the phrase, depending on the context. As the asker is translating a story, this might well be the appropriate thing to do.
1 day 7 hrs
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Yes indeed; that's what one would try to do. Thanks, Allegro.
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Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
+1
13 hrs
Giovanni Rengifo
Colombia
Colombia
Native in Spanish
Works in field
Colombia
Traductores Oficiales Cali
Native in: Spanish 
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish, German to Spanish, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
56
The way God intended
I think "properly" falls short here.
I hope our colleagues will agree.
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Note added at 13 hrs (2015-09-06 17:34:41 GMT)
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Or also "as God intended."
I hope our colleagues will agree.
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Note added at 13 hrs (2015-09-06 17:34:41 GMT)
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Or also "as God intended."
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
John Cutler
: I've heard English speaking people use this expression
13 hrs
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I'm glad you acknowledge this. I've actually seen this expression used in subtitles for TV comedies like "Two and a half men".
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| neutral |
Michele Fauble
: See Charles' added note.
23 hrs
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Discussion
I can't help wondering whether this expression is used differently in Latin America from the way it's used in Spain, where its implicit religious content these days is practically nil.
Might it be too much to give the name of the writer, what the story is about ... ?