Need help with this sentence...

Please help me translate in Russian, "I can read books, and I can read music, but I can't read people to save my life."
The best I can translate this is, "Я могу прочитать книги, и могу прочитать музыку, но я не могу прочитать людей чтобы спасти мою жизн."
Help with grammar is appreciated.

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Originally Posted by Sokolov

Please help me translate in Russian, "I can read books, and I can read music, but I can't read people to save my life."
The best I can translate this is, "Я могу [s:802lvt6q]про[/s:802lvt6q]читать книги, и могу [s:802lvt6q]про[/s:802lvt6q]читать музыку, но я не могу [s:802lvt6q]про[/s:802lvt6q]читать людей, чтобы спасти мою жизнь."
Help with grammar is appreciated.

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Your translation is generally correct although this phrase doesn't make any sense (in English too). You don't *read* music, you listen to it. And why should you 'read' people in order to save your life?

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Originally Posted by Ramil

Your translation is generally correct although this phrase doesn't make any sense (in English too). You don't *read* music, you listen to it. And why should you 'read' people in order to save your life?

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On the contrary, it makes perfect sense in English (not in Russian though). To read music = "читать ноты".
"Can't do something to save my life" is an idiom, and sounds just fine in English. Типа, "не смог бы сделать этого даже если бы от этого зависела моя жизнь".

Sokolov, we don't say "читать людей" in Russian, so the pun will be lost in direct translation.

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Originally Posted by translationsnmru

даже если бы от этого зависела моя жизнь".

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I heard this formula:
"even if my life depended on it."

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Originally Posted by Sokolov

Please help me translate in Russian, "I can read books, and I can read music, but I can't read people to save my life."
The best I can translate this is, "Я могу прочитать книги, и могу прочитать музыку, но я не могу прочитать людей чтобы спасти мою жизн."
Help with grammar is appreciated.

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How about, “В литературе я разбираюсь, и в музыке я разбираюсь, но в людях я никак не разбираюсь.” It's not an exact equivalent, but I think it's pretty close.

“To read people” means “to understand their current emotions and intentions.”

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Originally Posted by doninphxaz

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Originally Posted by Sokolov

Please help me translate in Russian, "I can read books, and I can read music, but I can't read people to save my life."
The best I can translate this is, "Я могу прочитать книги, и могу прочитать музыку, но я не могу прочитать людей чтобы спасти мою жизн."
Help with grammar is appreciated.

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How about, “В литературе я разбираюсь, и в музыке я разбираюсь, но в людях я никак не разбираюсь.” It's not an exact equivalent, but I think it's pretty close.

“To read people” means “to understand their current emotions and intentions.”

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:thumbs:

I guess I forgot it was a pun. Puns don't translate well, do they?
One more thing: What does "разбираюсь" mean?
I've been studying Russian only for a few months, but I'm determined to learn.
Спасибо

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Originally Posted by Sokolov

What does "разбираюсь" mean?

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"Разбираюсь" - первое лицо единственное число глагола "разбираться" - to grasp, to understand

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Originally Posted by translationsnmru

Sokolov, we don't say "читать людей" in Russian, so the pun will be lost in direct translation.

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I wouldn't say that. :)