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fibrero
Jul 4, 2007 23:43
16 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Spanish term

Si vas a dar algo, dalo bien o mejor no lo des

Spanish to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
¿Algunas sugerencias con esta expresión?
Proposed translations (English)
5 +8 If you're going to do something, do it right--or don't do it at all.
5 Athing that's worth doing is worth doing right.
4 If you are going to do something, give it your all or it is better not to do it
4 If you're going to do something at all, (then) do it properly/right/well
3 +1 If a job's worth doing it's worth doing well

Proposed translations

+8
18 mins
Selected

If you're going to do something, do it right--or don't do it at all.

I think that something like this is what would more likely come out of the mouth of a native English speaker in the US.

Suerte.
Peer comment(s):
agree Yvette Neisser Moreno : This is exactly what I would say. Excellent suggestion, Robert, as always!
1 hr
Thanks so much, Yvette. :-)
agree Mónica Algazi
2 hrs
Gracias Moni.
agree Patrice
2 hrs
Thank you, Patricia.
agree Rocio Barrientos : captura el sentido :) muy bien dicho
4 hrs
Gracias, Rocio. :-)
agree franglish
7 hrs
Gracias, Fran.
agree MDI-IDM
9 hrs
Thank you, MDI-IDM.
agree teju
14 hrs
Thank you, Teju.
agree dawn45 (X) : Exacto. Un cordial saludo, Robert.
23 hrs
Gracias, Dawn. :-)
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "¡Gracias!"
3 mins

If you are going to do something, give it your all or it is better not to do it

I believe this would work

Mike :)
Something went wrong...
10 mins

If you're going to do something at all, (then) do it properly/right/well

This is a pretty standard saying. There are many small variations (e.g., in the result clause: "then it's worth..."). But the basic structure is as given.

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Note added at 11 mins (2007-07-04 23:55:00 GMT)
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By the way, the "at all" covers the "o mejor no lo des"!
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+1
8 hrs

If a job's worth doing it's worth doing well

am not sure it totally corresponds but it's a suggestion !
Peer comment(s):
agree Sinead -- : Much neater
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
12 hrs

Athing that's worth doing is worth doing right.

This is the saying as I've always heard it.

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Note added at 12 hrs (2007-07-05 11:51:19 GMT)
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A thing, rather (two words)

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Note added at 12 hrs (2007-07-05 12:12:55 GMT)
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Pensandolo bien:
If a thing is worth doing, it's worth doing well.

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