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para no pasar nunca nada

English translation: considering nothing ever happens

18:35 Apr 3, 2021
Spanish to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / fiction, seville
Spanish term or phrase: para no pasar nunca nada
Hello,

I was wondering if any linguists or Spanish native speakers could help me understand a sentence in a book I'm reading, "Vaya, para no pasar nunca nada, se concentra la creatividad criminal", from the passage below:

"--Sí, supongo que por eso lo habrán enviado a usted. El cadáver se encontró atado por los pies con un cíngulo , que es un tipo de cinturón que llevan los nazarenos en la Semana Santa, a la viga más alta de la cúpula de la basílica de la Macarena .

--Vaya, para no pasar nunca nada, se concentra la creatividad criminal...

--Sí, y eso no es todo"

It's from the book El asesino de la regañá by Julio Muñoz Gijón. In this part a police officer is telling a detective who is investigating a strange murder what he knows about the circumstances of the victim's death. He explains the strange circumstances of the murder to the detective and then the detective replies with this phrase. I get the jist that the detective is making a somewhat dry remark in response to how elaborate and strange the murder is, and I understand the literal meaning of the words. But a literal translation into English makes no sense here, so I was wondering if he is maybe using an idiom or a saying that I am not familiar with. "para no pasar nunca nada" in particular is quite difficult to understand.

If anybody could share their understanding of that phrase, I would be hugely grateful.

Thanks so much.
matthew richmond
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:12
English translation:considering nothing ever happens
Explanation:
That is my understanding as a Spanish speaker.
It sounds as if at some point someone said nothing ever happens there or at least that was what they thought.
Selected response from:

Cecilia Gowar
United Kingdom
Grading comment
Yes, another Spanish linguist pointed this out to me a few minutes after I posted the question here. I had been reading the sentence in isolation so much that I forgot about the context, haha!

He's referring to how the other policeman was just saying nothing bad ever happens in Sevilla "aquí no pasa casi nunca".

Thanks so much, sorry for the bother!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4considering nothing ever happens
Cecilia Gowar
4although nothing ever happens
Coralia Maskavizan
2so that nothing will ever come of it
Barbara Cochran, MFA
2the extent they’ll go to cover their tracks
Orkoyen (X)


  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
so that nothing will ever come of it


Explanation:
Maybe.

Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 06:12
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 103
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18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
although nothing ever happens


Explanation:
I think it's a matter of contrasting: nothing ever happens, but when it does, it is in circumstances like this.

Hope it helps!

Coralia Maskavizan
Argentina
Local time: 07:12
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
considering nothing ever happens


Explanation:
That is my understanding as a Spanish speaker.
It sounds as if at some point someone said nothing ever happens there or at least that was what they thought.

Cecilia Gowar
United Kingdom
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 227
Grading comment
Yes, another Spanish linguist pointed this out to me a few minutes after I posted the question here. I had been reading the sentence in isolation so much that I forgot about the context, haha!

He's referring to how the other policeman was just saying nothing bad ever happens in Sevilla "aquí no pasa casi nunca".

Thanks so much, sorry for the bother!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  bcsantos
2 hrs
  -> ¡Gracias bcsantos!
agree  Leda Roche
3 hrs
  -> ¡Gracias Leda!
agree  neilmac
12 hrs
  -> Thanks Neil!
agree  Alejandra Tolj
21 hrs
  -> Thanks AleTolj!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
the extent they’ll go to cover their tracks


Explanation:
musing about the lengths taken to conceal their actions

Orkoyen (X)
United States
Local time: 06:12
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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