Translation/hesitated

Translation/hesitated
Message de kazan posté le 04-12-2013 à 20:42:12 (S | E | F)
Hello

I have trouble translating this sentence in French.
He had hesitated the moment he entered (the room).
I simply translated as follows:
Il hésita au moment où il entra dans la pièce BUT the Teacher gave this translation instead:
Il avait eu un moment d’hésitation dès qu’il était entré dans la pièce.
What bothers me is why he chose to use the pluperfect in his corrected version.
Some explanation would be very much appreciated.
Many thanks in advance.

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Edited by lucile83 on 04-12-2013 21:13

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Réponse: Translation/hesitated de lucile83, postée le 04-12-2013 à 21:26:13 (S | E)
Hello,

He had hesitated is a pluperfect = il avait hésité/ il avait eu un moment d'hésitation (plus-que-parfait in French).
dès qu’il était entré dans la pièce, to respect the sequence of tenses.

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Réponse: Translation/hesitated de gerondif, postée le 04-12-2013 à 21:55:32 (S | E)
Hello,
Your original sentence sounds wrong.
I think the sentence should have been:
He had hesitated the moment he had entered .
He had hesitated as soon as he had entered the room.
il avait hésité dès qu'il avait pénétré dans la pièce.

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Réponse: Translation/hesitated de lucile83, postée le 04-12-2013 à 23:20:13 (S | E)
Hello gerondif,

I don't completely agree with you about the pluperfect or past perfect followed by another past perfect.
He had hesitated ...first/previous action
the moment he entered the room....second/following action
= he had been hesitating just before he entered the room.
Entering the room means he didn't hesitate any longer.That's why I would use the past simple 'entered'.
Lien internet

Lien internet

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Réponse: Translation/hesitated de gerondif, postée le 04-12-2013 à 23:45:12 (S | E)
(a reminder to the original asker: the first verb WAS really a past perfect: il avait hésité)

Hello,Lucile,
yes, I know, I wonder if I am not contaminated by the French way of putting it.

If "the moment" entails simultaneity, then:
He had hesitated on entering the room ok, // as he entered the room, ok, the moment he entered the room
He had hesitated to shoot when he entered the room, at the precise moment when he entered the room, ok.= the moment he entered the room ok

But with "the moment/once/ as soon as"/ I would use a past perfect.

I will give you the stuff once you have paid me, as soon as you have paid me,

Now if you understand "the moment" as "immediately after he " what would you do ?

He hesitated the moment he entered the room.
He had hesitated the moment he had entered the room, immediately after he had entered the room.

But I might well be wrong on that !!

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Réponse: Translation/hesitated de lucile83, postée le 05-12-2013 à 08:49:44 (S | E)
Hello gerondif,

Yes, you are right, it depends on how we place that moment.
He hesitated the moment he entered the room....just then, at that precise moment
He had hesitated the moment he had entered the room ...just after entering the room

The original sentence is:
He had hesitated the moment he entered (the room)
I think kazan's translation is right then:
Il hésita au moment où il entra dans la pièce (juste à cet instant, action simultanée)
Rather tricky!

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Réponse: Translation/hesitated de kazan, postée le 05-12-2013 à 16:32:23 (S | E)
Thanks to all. Tenses in English can be something hard to master !

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