ir a comprar vs ir de compras

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Philipfinn
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ir a comprar vs ir de compras

Postby Philipfinn » Thu Jan 12, 2023 2:06 pm

Hi,
Is it correct to say:

Me gustaría ir a comprar mañana.

for

I'd like to go shopping tomorrow.

I know that it is definitely okay to say:
me gustaría ir de compras mañana.

Are they both okay and, if not, how bad does "ir a comprar" sound to a native spanish speaker?

Thanks,

Philipfinn
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Re: ir a comprar vs ir de compras

Postby JohannaNYC » Thu Jan 12, 2023 9:53 pm

"Me gustaría ir a comprar mañana" is incorrect for to go shopping. To go shopping is "ir de compras".

But you could say "Me gustaría ir a comprar unos zapatos nuevos mañana" or whatever specific object(s) you wanna buy.
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Philipfinn
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Re: ir a comprar vs ir de compras

Postby Philipfinn » Fri Jan 13, 2023 9:36 am

Thanks Johanna NYC.
I think I understand the difference now.
"Me gustaría ir a comprar mañana" would probably sound like “I would like to go buying tomorrow” to a Spanish ear.

Could you help me on another question please?

You know the ironic phrase in English:
“Thanks for nothing!”

1>
Is the correct translation;
Gracias por nada
or
Gracias para nada.

And 2>
is that expression used in Spanish or is there an equivalent ?

Muchas gracias,

Philip
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Re: ir a comprar vs ir de compras

Postby Querneus » Fri Jan 13, 2023 9:18 pm

Philipfinn wrote:You know the ironic phrase in English:
“Thanks for nothing!”

1>
Is the correct translation;
Gracias por nada
or
Gracias para nada.

And 2>
is that expression used in Spanish or is there an equivalent ?

Muchas gracias,

Philip

Gracias is followed by "por" for the thing you're grateful for (Gracias por venir - thanks for coming, Gracias por el regalo - thanks for the gift), so it'd be "Gracias por nada", which I think I've sometimes heard. More commonly I think I've heard just a sarcastic "Gracias" or "Gracias por su ayuda"...
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Re: ir a comprar vs ir de compras

Postby El Forastero » Sat Jan 14, 2023 1:16 pm

I'm a native and this expression is unusual among us Colombians (50 million of speakers), or maybe among my age gruoup or economic status, because it's an example of those expressions commonly found in the mexican dubbing we consume. So, if someone says "voy de compras", maybe intentionally wants to sound that artificial.

We say "ir a comprar algo", "ir a comprar unas cosas" way more frequently.
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Re: ir a comprar vs ir de compras

Postby Querneus » Sat Jan 14, 2023 2:34 pm

El Forastero wrote:I'm a native and this expression is unusual among us Colombians (50 million of speakers), or maybe among my age gruoup or economic status, because it's an example of those expressions commonly found in the mexican dubbing we consume. So, if someone says "voy de compras", maybe intentionally wants to sound that artificial.

We say "ir a comprar algo", "ir a comprar unas cosas" way more frequently.

Yeah, I notice "ir de compras" is commonly taught in textbooks for the Spanish of Spain, so maybe it's common in Spain too, but in El Salvador it also sounds a bit strange. Instead, we say the phrases you mentioned, or "hacer los comprados" (which Google reveals is a very Salvadorian expression), or alternatively we often say the place we're going to ("ir al mercado", "ir al súper / supermercado").
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Re: ir a comprar vs ir de compras

Postby Kraut » Sat Jan 14, 2023 3:01 pm

ir de compras

German dictionary has
"einen Einkaufsbummel machen" or even "in die Stadt gehen"

https://www.google.com/search?q=ir+de+c ... 39&dpr=1.5
-------------------
hacer la compra

https://www.google.com/search?q=hacer+l ... irefox-b-d
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Re: ir a comprar vs ir de compras

Postby El Forastero » Sat Jan 14, 2023 8:28 pm

Querneus wrote:Yeah, I notice "ir de compras" is commonly taught in textbooks for the Spanish of Spain, so maybe it's common in Spain too, but in El Salvador it also sounds a bit strange. Instead, we say the phrases you mentioned, or "hacer los comprados" (which Google reveals is a very Salvadorian expression), or alternatively we often say the place we're going to ("ir al mercado", "ir al súper / supermercado").


I have never heard "hacer los comprados" :D , mut it reminds me a very commen expression we have for quotidian purchasing (i.e. go to the bakery or the grocery store): "Hacer mandados, hacer un mandado, hacer los mandados". In México is "hacer un recado, hacer recados", even though it's used also for sending a message orally.
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Re: ir a comprar vs ir de compras

Postby Kullman » Sat Jan 14, 2023 10:49 pm

Here in Spain "ir a comprar" is usually used when you are going to buy something specific, as groceries...

"Ir the compras" is more related to a "window shopping" session, which can lead or not to buy something (it's not planned).
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Re: ir a comprar vs ir de compras

Postby javier_getafe » Wed Jan 18, 2023 7:49 pm

Philipfinn wrote:Thanks Johanna NYC.
I think I understand the difference now.
"Me gustaría ir a comprar mañana" would probably sound like “I would like to go buying tomorrow” to a Spanish ear.

Could you help me on another question please?

You know the ironic phrase in English:
“Thanks for nothing!”

1>
Is the correct translation;
Gracias por nada
or
Gracias para nada.

And 2>
is that expression used in Spanish or is there an equivalent ?

Muchas gracias,

Philip


En Español el sentido es exactamente el mismo. Se usa de forma irónica tal cual:

Por ejemplo: Si alguién no te ofreció ayuda o ni siquiera se levantó a ayudar se podría decir perfectamente: Gracias por nada
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