No, I will Not Be Asking For Papers

June 4, 2010 12:07 PM

SpanishFilter: Translation these apartment moving phrases from English to written and spoken (Mexican) Spanish, por favor?

I intend to hire some local labor for my move this weekend. My Spanish disappeared long time ago (use it or lose it!) and the laptop I'm borrowing is having a lot of problems with loading most sites but I can get MetaFilter. Please provide written AND, if you are able to proved abbreviations that would be visibly recognizable to my Mexican/American audience, spoken translations (I can read it, pronunciation guide not needed) for the following:

"Two movers, $40 each
1 bdrm apt, heavy lifting"

Fragile, This End Up, Keep Cool

Bedroom, Kitchen, Living-room, Bathroom, Patio

Thank you, MeFites, you're my only hope...

posted by _paegan_ to writing & language (7 answers total)

Dos mudarses necesario, $ 40 cada uno
una pisa elevación apartamiento, levantamientos de objetos pesados

Frágil, Este Fin arriba, Keep Cool (??)

Dormitorio, Cocina, salón-comedor, baño, patio
posted by Mr. Verge at 12:25 PM on June 4, 2010

mantengase fresco?  maybe
posted by Mr. Verge at 12:26 PM on June 4, 2010

dos mudanceros (2 movers)
paga $40 cada uno ($40 each)
apartmanto de una habitación- equipo pesado (1bd apt- heavy lifting)

frágil (fragile)
(this end up) I would just use arrows
mantener frío (keep cool)
cuarto (bedroom)
cocina (kitchen)
sala (living-room)
baño (bathroom)
patio (patio)
posted by octomato at 12:29 PM on June 4, 2010

Octomato has it (other than a typo, apartamento). I don't know if Mr. Verge is using Babelfish, but that is not right.
You might find it helpful to get some different colored tape or markers, so that all the boxes with a red mark or with red tape go to the kitchen, for example.
posted by queseyo at 1:23 PM on June 4, 2010

Hoping I don't deviate too much from localisms... "Keep cool" should be "mantener fresco". "This end up", probably "este lado para arriba" ("hacia arriba"? sounds more location neutral).
posted by Iosephus at 1:44 PM on June 4, 2010

Awesome! Thanks for the speed and the suggestions and for being another group of people helping me to achieve my goals!

I'm disabled and cannot do any of it myself. I'm so excited - I'll be living on my own for the first time in the six years since my catastrophic medical event*. Hiring local help is one of the things I can do to keep that status (i.e. not killing myself by doing it with all of my 116 lbs, 5'3" disabled she-woman strength!)

I'll let you know if I inadvertently insult them with this method! ;P


*A little bit of the details are in my profile.
posted by _paegan_ at 2:38 PM on June 4, 2010

All moved in. Didn't need most of the phrases. Only needed to keep repeating "Dos, dos" as many more were also looking for work. Everything worked out really fine. Thanks for your help.
posted by _paegan_ at 12:09 PM on June 12, 2010