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Learn Catalan: They Told Me Yes

By 

Joan Vergés i Calduch

They told me yes,

M'han dit que sí,

Yes, yes, that I shall come in and wait

que sí, que sí, que passi

In that office next door,

a aquesta altra saleta,

And he’ll be receiving me shortly,

que de seguida em rep,

I should light a cigarette.

que encengui un cigarret.

They told me yes,

M'han dit que sí,

Told me yes, yes,

m'han dit que sí, que sí,

That it’s a matter of an instant,

que és cosa d'un moment,

Just to clarify some issue.

d'aclarir un document.

I was told yes,

M'han dit que sí,

Yes, just to sign off here,

que sí, que firmi aquí,

Put down my name,

que posi clar el meu nom,

And they will answer something.

que ja em diran quelcom.

They told me yes,

M'han dit que sí,

Told me yes, yes,

m'han dit que sí, que sí,

Yes, I can already tell

que sí, que ja ho puc dir

My wife, my neighbor,

a la dona, al veí,

That yes, it’s all over and done with,

que sí, que ja és un fet,

And things are looking bright,

que ja tot és perfet,

That yes, maybe yes,

que sí, que potser sí,

Can’t be this year though,

que aquest any no pot ser,

Yes, next year,

que sí, que l'any que ve,

And I should still keep working hard.

que m'ho treballi bé.

They told me yes, yes,

M'han dit que sí, que sí,

They’ve found me some good connections,

que m'han trobat padrí,

Can’t go wrong this time,

que ja no pot fallar,

That I can just lay back and relax.

que puc dormir-hi pla.

There’s a cat and a collie,

Vet aquí un gat i un gos

That’s the end of the story.

i el conte ja s'ha fos.

There’s a pooch and a cat,

Vet aquí un gos i un gat

And the pitcher has cracked.

i el càntir s'ha esquerdat.

I’ve resigned to my fate,

Vet aquí el meu destí:

For they’ve once again said,

m'ho han tornat a dir,

Said yes, oh yes.

m'han dit que sí, que sí…

Quiz question:

What does "M'han dit que sí" translate to in English?

Why yes of course

Why yes of course

They told me yes

They told me yes

Yes, it is true

Yes, it is true

Yes is what I said

Yes is what I said

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Issue 6

published 

September 22, 2017

They Told Me Yes was written by Joan Vergés i Calduch and translated by Juan Ribó Chalmeta and Irina Urumova. Together, they translate Spanish, Portugese, and Catalan poetry on their official blog.

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Issue 6

This writing was originally published in Opium Magazine, and is not listed in the Lit.cat archives.
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