‘My mother visited me while I was not at home’ is a sentence that can be tricky to translate due to the nuance of timing and the structure of the English language. The Japanese translation you’ve suggested, 「母が訪ねてきたとき私は家にいなかった。」 is close, but let’s dive deeper into the nuances of this translation and examine other possible interpretations.
Understanding the English Sentence
The sentence ‘My mother visited me while I was not at home’ is in the past tense. It indicates that your mother visited you during a specific period when you were absent from home. The key here is the use of the word ‘while,’ which expresses the simultaneous occurrence of two actions: your mother’s visit and your absence.
Correct Translation and Its Nuance
While the translation ‘母が訪ねてきたとき私は家にいなかった’ is understandable, a more direct and natural translation might be 「母が私が家にいない間に訪ねてきた」. This translation emphasizes the timeframe during which your absence occurred and clarifies that your mother’s visit happened during that period.
Alternative Phrasing
Another way to phrase the translation could be 「母が私の不在中に訪ねてきた」. This focuses on the fact that your mother came while you were away, using ‘不在中’ to express ‘while not being at home’ more formally.
Conclusion: Choosing the Right Translation
The translation of English sentences into Japanese requires attention to timing and context. While the suggested translation is correct, understanding the nuances of each language can help you choose the most accurate and natural-sounding translation. Experimenting with different phrasings based on the context will ensure that your translation is both accurate and fluent.
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