# Ir al baño (un animal)



## conty1189

¿Cómo puedo decir "ir al baño" en inglés en la siguiente frase?:

El koala duerme 22 horas al día y las otras dos las utiliza para ir al baño y comer.



Gracias de antemano por la ayuda


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## jackaustralia

'go to the toilet' seems to be OK but might be a little informal. It's what I'd say. If I can think of anything else I'll tell you.


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## conty1189

Ok, gracias


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## Bigote Blanco

conty1189 said:


> ¿Cómo puedo decir "ir al baño" en inglés en la siguiente frase?:
> 
> El koala duerme 22 horas al día y las otras dos las utiliza para ir al baño y comer.
> 
> 
> 
> Gracias de antemano por la ayuda


 
The koala sleeps twenty-two hours a day. During the two hours he is awake and active, he eats and takes care of other bodily functions. 

This is a little more formal and polite, although the meaning is clear.

Saludos, 
Bigote


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## conty1189

Yes, thank you


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## twen

Hmmmmm. . .

"empty its bowels" o "move its bowels"

twen


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## jackaustralia

Good translation "Bigot Blanco" I knew there had to be a more formal way of saying it but couldn't think of it. You could certainly say 'go to the toilet' in informal conversation though.


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## Mindyrecycles

El koala duerme 22 horas al día y las otras dos las utiliza para ir al baño y comer.

A medical, impersonal translation is, "The koala sleeps 22 hours each day and he spends the other 2 hours eating and eliminating." 

An informal translation, such as if one is speaking to a group of children:  "The koala sleeps 22 hours every day and he eats and goes to the bathroom during the other 2 hours."   

"Going to the bathroom" literally refers to a person visiting a room with a toilet in it, but at least in the United States, we even say "go to the bathroom" when we want our pets to eliminate outside.  

Mindy


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## owlman5

When talking about an animal like a koala in a scientific way, I'd be quite content with using "defecate", which is a handy cognate for Spanish speakers.


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## loladamore

I think the "bodily functions" option is better than getting too specific. I presume that koalas also pee rather than just defecate (don't they?)


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## owlman5

loladamore said:


> I think the "bodily functions" option is better than getting too specific. I presume that koalas also pee rather than just defecate (don't they?)


Hi, Loladamore.  I suppose "bodily functions" is fine, though I'd be right glad to throw in a "urinate" to cover all the bases.  To speak of koalas "going to the bathroom" is too absurdly euphemistic for my tastes.


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## Mate

owlman5 said:


> Hi, Loladamore.  I suppose "bodily functions" is fine, though I'd be right glad to throw in a "urinate" to cover all the bases.  To speak of koalas "going to the bathroom" is too absurdly euphemistic for my tastes.


Owlman, euphemistic or not, that's exactly what the original Spanish sentence says:_ ir al baño_.

It doesn't say "ir a orinar y defecar" or anything like that.


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## Bigote Blanco

Well, there's always the "powder their noses" or " make a pit stop" that also covers all the bases.   or leak their lizards, choke their roosters.  Really, it depends on the audience.  Deficate and urinate certainly work- but maybe not for the cute little furry Koala's. I was trying to think of a way to soften it up a little.
-other bodily functions
-other bodily needs.
-to eat and do other activites. (may be best)


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## loladamore

Pets might "go to the bathroom" but it does sound funny to say that wild animals do, in spite of the original Spanish to that effect. Context would definitely help, for example, is the text intended for a particular kind of target reader, such as children? Or members of Euphemistics Anonymous?


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## Mate

loladamore said:


> Pets might "go to the bathroom" but it does sound funny to say that wild animals do, in spite of the original Spanish to that effect. Context would definitely help, for example, is the text intended for a particular kind of target reader, such as children? Or members of Euphemistics Anonymous?


But it sounds funny in Spanish too!

From (the poor) context I guess that the phrase is intended for very young children, although Euphemistics Anonymous cannot be discarded as a possibility .


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## owlman5

Bigote Blanco said:


> Well, there's always the "powder their noses" or " make a pit stop" that also covers all the bases.  or leak their lizards, choke their roosters. Really, it depends on the audience. Deficate and urinate certainly work- but maybe not for the cute little furry Koala's. I was trying to think of a way to soften it up a little.
> -other bodily functions
> -other bodily needs.
> -to eat and do other activites. (may be best)


 


loladamore said:


> Pets might "go to the bathroom" but it does sound funny to say that wild animals do, in spite of the original Spanish to that effect. Context would definitely help, for example, is the text intended for a particular kind of target reader, such as children? Or members of Euphemistics Anonymous?


 


Mateamargo said:


> But it sounds funny in Spanish too!
> 
> From (the poor) context I guess that the phrase is intended for very young children, although Euphemistics Anonymous cannot be discarded as a possibility .


All these points are well-taken. Excrete can be used intransitively in English, will it work that way as well in Spanish? If so, I'm a huge cognate fan whenever this is possible and not too awkward or formal. If it does come from a kids' book, however, then maybe "go to the bathroom" is the best way to keep from upsetting any squeamish parents.

Eureka: From the DRAE *excretar**.*
(De _excreto_).

*1. *intr. Expeler el excremento.
*2. *intr. Expulsar los residuos metabólicos, como la orina o el anhídrido carbónico de la respiración.


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## Mate

_Excretar_ (verb) is mainly used in a medical and/or biology-related environment. 

_Excreta/s_ (noun) is even more technical.


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## owlman5

Bigote Blanco said:


> The koala sleeps twenty-two hours a day. During the two hours he is awake and active, he eats and takes care of other bodily functions.
> 
> This is a little more formal and polite, although the meaning is clear.
> 
> Saludos,
> Bigote


All right, then.  I'm with Bigote on this one, as my beloved "excretion" seems too scientific for the context.


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## Manuel G. Rey

Si estuviese hablando a unos niños en español, yo diría  "...a comer y descomer...' 
¿Hay alguna forma coloquial de decir algo similar en inglés?


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## rap.parsons

Qué tal "hacer sus necesidades" -- es coloquial y creo que todo el mundo lo entendería.


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## conty1189

El contexto es que estoy escribiendo una revista, y esta frase aparece en la seccion de "Curiosities".
La revista es adolescente, tal vez no es necesario algo tan formal.

(Gracias a todos por sus comentarios e ideas)


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## loladamore

Animals can also euphemistically and colloquially "do their business".

Saludos.


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## Miguel Antonio

loladamore said:


> Animals can also euphemistically and colloquially "do their business".
> 
> Saludos.


Good thinking! 

If this is for teenagers, could one could also say "do their things"?  
(not necessarily implying, but not denying either, that they will make good use of their two hours of wake to do more than just excrete, i.e., that they will engage in making sure more Koala bears eventually make it to this world. Because they do, don't they?)


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## speedier

Manuel G. Rey said:


> Si estuviese hablando a unos niños en español, yo diría "...a comer y descomer...'
> ¿Hay alguna forma coloquial de decir algo similar en inglés?


 
The only equivalent I can think of Manuel, would be "absorption & excretion", which seems a bit too technical.

*Bodily functions*, as suggested previously, seems the best to me.


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## jinti

This is for kids, so why not a simple, literal translation?

_Koalas sleep for 22 hours a day and use the other two for going to the bathroom and eating._

(Apparently they never make little koalas. )


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## FromPA

I would say that animals "relieve themselves."


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## Manuel G. Rey

speedier said:


> The only equivalent I can think of Manuel, would be "absorption & excretion", which seems a bit too technical.
> 
> *Bodily functions*, as suggested previously, seems the best to me.




No, speedier, 'comer' es lenguaje común y cotidiano; y 'descomer' es coloquial, y un recurso para no caer ni en el lenguaje médico (evacuar), ni en el literario-cursi (aliviar el vientre), ni en el vulgar (cagar, giñar). 
Voy a buscar algo en mi base de datos.


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## Manuel G. Rey

Si es lenguaje para niños, y pensando en español: 
a) Comer y descomer = To eat and uneat (¿un neologismo?)
b) Llenar y vaciar el vientre o las tripas = To fill and to empty the belly/the tummy


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## Manuel G. Rey

Miguel Antonio said:


> Good thinking!
> 
> If this is for teenagers, could one could also say "do their things"?
> (not necessarily implying, but not denying either, that they will make good use of their two hours of wake to do more than just excrete, i.e., that they will engage in making sure more Koala bears eventually make it to this world. Because they do, don't they?)



Cierto, aunque no habíamos caído. 
"...do their things', pero también '...their business', como sugirió loladamore.


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## speedier

Manuel G. Rey said:


> No, speedier, 'comer' es lenguaje común y cotidiano; y 'descomer' es coloquial ...............


 
Hi Manuel, I meant that the only English equivalent idea that I could think of was too technical; not your Spanish original.



jinti said:


> This is for kids, so why not a simple, literal translation?
> _Koalas sleep for 22 hours a day and use the other two for going to the bathroom and eating.  _(Apparently they never make little koalas. )


 
Jajajaja.  Good point, and I would agree, but we are only surmising that its for kids.  As far as I can see, the author of the thread hasn't said so.


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## jinti

speedier said:


> Jajajaja.  Good point, and I would agree, but we are only surmising that its for kids.  As far as I can see, the author of the thread hasn't said so.



Yep, post #21 above.


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