Hello! This
week on "Ask a Teacher", we will answer a question from Jesús, from Spain, about
the difference between “never mind” and “it doesn’t matter”.
never mind: no
importa, no hay cuidado, no se moleste, no se preocupe, pierda cuidado, qué
importancia tiene, no se moleste, no se preocupe, es algo sin importancia, no es
nada, está bien; it doesn't matter: es igual, no importa;
Question: Hello, My name is Jesús,
and I find the use of "never mind" and "it doesn't matter" sometimes
confusing, could you clear it up for me, please? Thank you
from Spain.
sometimes confusing: a veces confuso, poco claro, complicado; clear it up:
aclararlo, despejarlo, explicarlo;
Answer: Dear Jesús, Thank you for your
question. We will start with the expression “never mind”.
we will
start with: comenzaremos con;
NEVER MIND
Often, we use “never mind” as an imperative or command form to tell someone to
leave a subject or topic alone. This is especially true if a request is not
fulfilled or a question is left unanswered. For example, if you have a question
like:
imperative or command form: forma imperativa, orden o mandato; to leave
... alone: abandonar o no insistir sobre un tema o asunto; especially
true: especialmente verdadero; if a request is not fulfilled: si no
se cumple un pedido; a question is left unanswered: una pregunta queda
sin responder; like: como (la siguiente);
Can you help me put away the groceries?
¿Podrías ayudarme a guardar los comestibles (abarrotes)?
put away: poner en su sitio, guardar (phrasal verb)
And it goes unanswered. You can reply:
it goes
unanswered: la pregunta continua sin respuesta; you can reply: puedes
responder;
Never mind, I will do it without you.
No te molestes (Está bien), lo haré sin
ti (sin tu ayuda).
In this exchange, “never mind” is used as a command to mean “ignore what was
just asked or said”. Another way we can use “never mind” is as a conjunction, a
part of speech that joins together two ideas, clauses or sentences. When used as
a conjunction, “never mind” connects two options, the
second option being the least likely or wanted. For example:
ignore what
was just asked or said: ignora lo que acabo de pedirte o decirte; a
conjunction: una conjunción; a part of speech: una categoría del
idioma; that joins together: que une; clauses: cláusulas
(gramaticales); connects two options: conecta dos opciones; the second
option being: siendo la segunda opción; the least likely or wanted:
la menos probable o deseada;
I do not like traveling to work. There are too many people on the bus, never
mind that it takes 45 minutes to get there.
No me gusta viajar
al trabajo. Hay demasiada gente en el autobús, no importa que tarde 45 minutos
en llegar.
In this sentence, “never mind” acts the same as another conjunction, “in
addition”. In the above example, the second option is expressed as the worst
part of traveling to work.
acts the same
as: actúa del mismo modo que; another conjunction: "in addition":
otra conjunción: "además, aparte de eso"; in the above example: en el
ejemplo anterior; is expressed as: se expresa como; the worst part of
traveling to work: la peor parte de viajar para ir al trabajo;
DOESN'T MATTER
“It doesn’t matter” means that the subject or issue is not important. We can
reword the sentence to understand it better:
that
the subject or issue: que la cuestión o asunto; we can reword the
sentence: podemos expresar la oración con otras palabras; to understand
it better: para comprenderlo mejor;
It does not matter (to me).
(A mí) no me importa.
The verb “matter” means to be of importance. So when we say, “it doesn’t matter”
we are saying “this issue or subject is not important”. For example, if we are
given a choice between two things, and we say “it doesn’t matter”, we are saying
that either choice is acceptable.
matter:
ser importante, tener importancia; if we are given a choice: si nos dan a
elegir; between two things: entre dos cosas; either choice is
acceptable: cualquier opción (de las dos ofrecidas) es digna de aceptación;
Do you want coffee or tea?
¿Quieres café o té?
It doesn’t matter.
Me da lo mismo (Es lo mismo para mí).
Here we are saying that the choices are unimportant and we could enjoy either
coffee or tea. Sometimes, both of these expressions can be combined, as follows:
the choices
are unimportant: las opciones son poco importantes; we could enjoy either
coffee or tea: podríamos disfrutar tanto del café como del té; sometimes:
a veces; both of these expressions: ambas expresiones; can be combined:
pueden combinarse; as follows: de la siguiente manera;
Never mind, it doesn’t matter.
No tiene importancia, me da lo mismo.
This sentence demonstrates our lack of interest in the subject and expresses
that we do not care to talk about the situation any further.
demonstrates
our lack of interest: demuestra nuestra falta de interés; in the subject:
en el tema (café o té); we do not care: no nos interesa; to talk about
the situation: seguir hablando de la situación; any further: por más
tiempo.
And
that’s "Ask a Teacher". I’m Faith Pirlo. And
I’m Jill Robbins.
