Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
ni de lejos a la altura de las circunstancias
English translation:
didn't measure up to/wasn't half the man...
Added to glossary by
Edward Tully
Aug 26, 2014 23:56
9 yrs ago
7 viewers *
Spanish term
United States
Laudable Lady Linguist
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 3 more.
ni de lejos a la altura de las circunstancias
Spanish to English
Art/Literary
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
In A Novel
Contexto:
Entre miles de asuntos cotidianos de cualquier ama de casa, hablaban de sus maridos. Isolina, especialmente en los días en los que se sentía más sola, le hablaba de Eusebio. "De lo buen marido que era" e incluso soltaba alguna lagrimilla. No era de extrañar, eran demasiados años sin verle. Y, como habréis podido comprobar, su segundo marido no estaba ni de lejos a la altura de las circunstancias. Posiblemente pensó que podría obtener el mismo cariño que del primero, como si el cariño se surtiese en la misma cantidad de manera universal. Pero no, pensaba mucho en Eusebio, y especialmente en como la trataría cuando se reencontrasen en el cielo.
Mil Gracias,
Barbara
Entre miles de asuntos cotidianos de cualquier ama de casa, hablaban de sus maridos. Isolina, especialmente en los días en los que se sentía más sola, le hablaba de Eusebio. "De lo buen marido que era" e incluso soltaba alguna lagrimilla. No era de extrañar, eran demasiados años sin verle. Y, como habréis podido comprobar, su segundo marido no estaba ni de lejos a la altura de las circunstancias. Posiblemente pensó que podría obtener el mismo cariño que del primero, como si el cariño se surtiese en la misma cantidad de manera universal. Pero no, pensaba mucho en Eusebio, y especialmente en como la trataría cuando se reencontrasen en el cielo.
Mil Gracias,
Barbara
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Aug 31, 2014 14:22: Edward Tully Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+1
8 hrs
Edward Tully
Native in English
Because your words matter
Native in: English (Variants: US, UK) 
Works in: Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
212
Selected
didn't measure up to/wasn't half the man...
2 more options! - Didn't measure up to Eusebio/Wasn't half the man that Eusebio was.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+2
31 mins
Susie Rawson
Argentina
Argentina
Native in Spanish
Specializes in field
Argentina
Words and beyond
Native in: Spanish (Variant: Latin American)
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish
Related KudoZ points
:
8
did not really rise up to the occasion
..)
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Note added at 41 mins (2014-08-27 00:38:07 GMT)
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or did not quite rise up to the occasion
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Note added at 41 mins (2014-08-27 00:38:07 GMT)
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or did not quite rise up to the occasion
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Jose Lobos
: because it is slim and conveys the meaning
2 hrs
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Gracias Jose
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| agree |
Hans Geluk
23 hrs
|
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Thank you Hans!
|
55 mins
Ana Socarras
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Native in Spanish
Specializes in field
Costa Rica
Native in: Spanish (Variant: Latin American)
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish, Spanish, and 1 more.
was, by much, far from the expectations
...her second husband was, by much, far from the expectations.
Tambien podrías decir "... her second husband didn´t ever come near her expectations"
Me parece que la expresión "a la altura de las circunstancias" no debo traducirla tan literalmente, sino usar una expresión más común en inglés.
Tambien podrías decir "... her second husband didn´t ever come near her expectations"
Me parece que la expresión "a la altura de las circunstancias" no debo traducirla tan literalmente, sino usar una expresión más común en inglés.
2 hrs
Phoenix III
United States
United States
Native in Spanish
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
True words...
Native in: English (Variant: US) , Spanish (Variant: Latin American)
Works in: Spanish to English, Spanish, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
12
by far, he was not up to par/did not even come close...
Dos opciones.
2 hrs
David Hollywood
Native in English
Works in field
worked for int. orgs (IMF, OAS, IDB)
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
190
was a far cry from her first husband/what she had had with her first husband
I would suggest
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Note added at 3 hrs (2014-08-27 02:57:03 GMT)
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a far cry from something
very different from something Playing in a comedy is a far cry from playing a criminal in a mystery.
See also: cry, far
Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003. Reproduced with permission.
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Note added at 3 hrs (2014-08-27 03:00:57 GMT)
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she couldn't forget Eusebio so " was no match for Eusabio" as an alternative
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Note added at 3 hrs (2014-08-27 03:03:49 GMT)
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I think ether option would do but I prefer "a far cry from" as it reflects the impossibility of coming anywhere close to what she had had with Eusabio
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Note added at 3 hrs (2014-08-27 03:04:51 GMT)
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"either" and there we have another option: far from coming close
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Note added at 3 hrs (2014-08-27 03:17:11 GMT)
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if you don't want to use "the first husband" you could say "was a far cry from things"
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2014-08-27 02:57:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
a far cry from something
very different from something Playing in a comedy is a far cry from playing a criminal in a mystery.
See also: cry, far
Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003. Reproduced with permission.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2014-08-27 03:00:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
she couldn't forget Eusebio so " was no match for Eusabio" as an alternative
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2014-08-27 03:03:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I think ether option would do but I prefer "a far cry from" as it reflects the impossibility of coming anywhere close to what she had had with Eusabio
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2014-08-27 03:04:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
"either" and there we have another option: far from coming close
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2014-08-27 03:17:11 GMT)
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if you don't want to use "the first husband" you could say "was a far cry from things"
4 hrs
couldn't hold a candle to the first one
A very common phrase in the US when comparing lover or romantic partners. The whole sentence will be something like this:
And, as you have already seen, the second husband couldn't hold a candle to the first one.
And, as you have already seen, the second husband couldn't hold a candle to the first one.
+1
10 hrs
Sophie Cherel
Spain
Spain
Native in English
Spain
Clarity, accuracy and speed
Native in: English
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
could not even come close to the mark
another option; or, 'was far from being up to the standard (set by her first husband)'
+2
10 hrs
James Peel
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
Your language needs understood
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Fell well short of the mark
Another alternative for you to consider!
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Sophie Cherel
: I like it. Or 'fell hopelessly short'
3 hrs
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Yes - "hopelessly" is very nice
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| agree |
Hans Geluk
13 hrs
|
+1
1 hr
Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Ireland
Native in English
Specializes in field
Ireland
right word, right place. everytime
Native in: English (Variants: US, Canadian, Irish, UK)
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
19
just didn't match /meet her expectations
or just didn't match up (to Eusebio)
or didn't live up to her expectations
meet or match expectations
http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/meet your expec...
her second husband was a bit of a disappointment
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Note added at 13 hrs (2014-08-27 13:15:10 GMT)
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Or, tweaking Wendy's tweak
There was just no way he lived up to her expectations
or didn't live up to her expectations
meet or match expectations
http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/meet your expec...
her second husband was a bit of a disappointment
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Note added at 13 hrs (2014-08-27 13:15:10 GMT)
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Or, tweaking Wendy's tweak
There was just no way he lived up to her expectations
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Wendy Streitparth
: didn't live up to her expectations by far or no way lived up....
11 hrs
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Thanks Wendy. I like "no way lived up..."
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