french into english

[Bernadette]

Please, how do you say 'quelle heure est-il, bien à peu près' ?
What time is it ... and after ?

[serenita]

Je dirais "What time is it nearly?", je ne sais pas où ni comment caser le "bien"...

[kokoyaya]

Autre proposition...
What time is it, more or less?

[Soleil]

I would say serenita's suggestion is as weard as the French, and don't need "bien".
kokoyaya, your suggestion is very right, but doesn't sound as funny as the French, at least to me...

[captncavern]

What about "What time is it approximately?"?

[Bernadette]

What about "What time is it approximately?"?

Why not, but I prefer "What time is it, more or less?".
Rhythm is better, it's more poetic.

[captncavern]

What about "What time is it approximately?"?

Why not, but I prefer "What time is it, more or less?".
Rhythm is better, it's more poetic.

That's right !

[gramie]

What about "What time is it approximately?"?

Why not, but I prefer "What time is it, more or less?".
Rhythm is better, it's more poetic.

Bernadette's way may be more poetic... but captncavern's is more currently used, I believe.
"More or less" will usually be used in answering. Eg: "It's 5 o'clock... more or less."

[Bernadette]

Yes, but... the french 'bien à peu près' is so particular. Beaumarchais wrote it. It's not my fault.

[SubEspion]

It is maybe like VIVE LES VACANCES.
Hardly translatable in ENGLISH but there is surely a method to translate
it but I think that the most
comprehensible is...

WHAT TIME IS IT APPROXIMATELY ?

[Guest]

It is maybe like VIVE LES VACANCES.
Hardly translatable in ENGLISH but there is surely a method to translate
it but I think that the most
comprehensible is...

WHAT TIME IS IT APPROXIMATELY ?

I agree completely and I've been speaking English fluently for over 30 years. (I've reached the 1/2 century)

[SubEspion]

It is really cozy to be put up by a half-century person. Half-century
person seem older than 50 years old, I am in vacation and I am doin
mathematics, I am not supposed.

( 100 ÷ 2 = 50 ) and ( 50 ) → 50 = 50

Good luck Bernadette for your question...

[Beaumont]

but I think that the most
comprehensible is...

WHAT TIME IS IT APPROXIMATELY ?

I agree completely and I've been speaking English fluently for over 30 years. (I've reached the 1/2 century)

Probably the most comprehensible, but it is not a translation of the sentence in French. "What time is it approximately" means "quelle heure est-il à peu près", whereas the sentence in French said "bien à peu près", which means "approximately" and "exactly" at the same time... which is why the sentence can be funny. I think we should look for sentences like this: "Could you tell me exactly what is the approximate time?".

[SubEspion]

Hum, it is not the best translation for ENGLISH to FRENCH but I think
that your sentence is not really the best too.

Could you tell me exactly what is the approximate time ?
Peux-tu me dire exactement quelle heure est-il approximativement ?

And we go in that sense, so in the wrong sense I think. I am not a pro
in ENGLISH but I think that could not be the best sentence...

[Beaumont]

And we go in that sense, so in the wrong sense I think. I am not a pro
in ENGLISH but I think that could not be the best sentence...

OK, it may not be the best sentence, but there is an oxymoron in French, so there must be one in English too.

Oxymoron: rhetorical figure in which an epigrammatic effect is created by the conjunction of incongruous or contradictory terms.

A few examples:
- compulsory volunteers
- As famous as the unknown soldier.
- I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.
- I paid too much for it, but its worth it.
- If I could drop dead right now, I'd be the happiest man alive.