Thread: Correct me please, пожалуйста!

I want to write in English: "И тогда я бы начал вносить изменения в этот код".

Is it right?
"So I'll would start to insert modifications in this code."

Originally Posted by Wowik

I want to write in English: "И тогда я бы начал вносить изменения в этот код".

Is it right?
"So I'll would start to insert modifications in this code."

'And then I would start to insert modifications into this code'.

"And then I would start to make changes to this code" might sound more natural.

'I'll would...' is grammatically incorrect either way.

Originally Posted by scotcher

'And then I would start to insert modifications into this code'.

Спасибо. Я так и написал вначале . А потом вдруг задумался и решил всё переправить...

Originally Posted by Wowik

Originally Posted by scotcher

'And then I would start to insert modifications into this code'.

Спасибо. Я так и написал вначале . А потом вдруг задумался и решил всё переправить...

I do that with Russian!

Remember, trust your intuition!

The phrase implies some condition (at least in Russian). I may be wrong, but I'd translated it like:

... so I could start modifying this code.

Is that correct, btw?

Originally Posted by Ramil

The phrase implies some condition (at least in Russian). I may be wrong, but I'd translate_______ it like:

... so I could start modifying this code.

Is that correct, btw?

Don't you need "so then I could start modifying this code"?

Originally Posted by Ramil

The phrase implies some condition (at least in Russian). I may be wrong, but I'd translated it like:

... so I could start modifying this code.

Is that correct, btw?

They'd both work, the choice would depend on the wider context. Generally, "could" indicates potential, wheras "would" indicates contrary-to-fact hypothetical, but there is loads of overlap between them and in some contexts they are synonyms.

Let's say the sentence was part of the answer to a test/ exam question, and Wowik had been asked to explain the solution to a problem. In this context, he would use "would", because the condition of the sentence is "if this problem were real, I would...". To use "could" in this context would make him sound unsure or uncertain of his answer.

On the other hand, let's say Wowik is at work and his boss has asked his advice. Wowik does not know the answer for sure, so doesn't want to put his neck on the line by claiming that he does, so he'd use "could". The difference is almost in what isn't being said:

"I would do this [if it was my decision]" compared to "I could do this [but don't blame me if it explodes].



Anyhoo, I'd be more likely to translate...

... so I could start modifying this code.

as...

И тогда я мог бы вносить изменения в этот код

Of course, it's not entirely outside the realms of possibility that I am simply missing/ miss-understanding a nuance in the Russian sentence

Thanks, it's as I thought, the translation depends on the nature of the condition that is missing here.