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Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

A Way with Words, a radio show and podcast about language and linguistics.

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Disruptive child
Raffee
Iran
238 Posts
(Offline)
1
2012/07/06 - 5:55am

If you have a disruptive son and he is going out with some friends of his, what's the sentence you are most likely inclined to tell him? Be careful not to make troubles? or not to disrupt anything?

(I heard it in a dubbed movie and am trying to come up with a good equivalent.)(These questions are the result of intending to gain native-like, or maybe native-like-like!, proficiency from the distance.)

 

Guest
2
2012/07/06 - 6:15am

Your first guess is close. You could say: Be careful not to make trouble (No plural here.) But that might be a little wordy and formal in the context you propose. "Don't make trouble" would work.

Here are a few other options:
Don't get into (any) trouble.
Stay out of trouble. (I like this one if the child has a history of getting into trouble.)

Raffee
Iran
238 Posts
(Offline)
3
2012/07/07 - 5:36am

Glenn said:

...(No plural here.)

 

Thanks for the correction.

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