в руках

English translation: everything she could / everything in her power

16:18 Jan 25, 2017

Russian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature

Russian term or phrase: в руках

Ей не было так уж легко в новом браке, и с супругом у неё были проблемы. Хотя Ирина сделала всё, что было в её руках, дети так и не полюбили её. Потому что они смотрели на неё, как на чужую женщину, которая заняла место их матери.

Although Irina did her best.... ??

Amerikanerin KudoZ activity Questions: 23 (none open) (4 closed without grading) Answers: 0 Germany
Local time: 18:39

English translation:everything she could / everything in her power

Explanation:
.

Selected response from:

Mark Berelekhis
United States
Local time: 12:39

Grading comment

thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +8

everything she could / everything in her power

Mark Berelekhis

4 +2

Try as she might, the children still did not (grow to) like her.

Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.

best efforts (here)

El oso

Discussion entries: 2

Answers

1 min confidence:

peer agreement (net): +8

everything she could / everything in her power

Explanation:
.

Mark Berelekhis
United States
Local time: 12:39
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

Russian,

English
PRO pts in category: 666

Grading comment

thanks!

11 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

Try as she might, the children still did not (grow to) like her.

Explanation:
used for saying that someone is making a very great effort but still cannot do something
Try as he might, he could not forget.
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/try-as...
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Try as someone might is a set phrase that is used in its 'fixed form' also in the past tense: used for saying that someone is making a very great effort but still cannot do something.Oct 9, 2015
http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/278963/grammar-of...
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Try as she might, she couldn't manage to move the heavy box
https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/25262-how-to-use-...
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Try as she might, Maria Pepe can never quite forgive Little League for denying her of one of her greatest childhood joys.
https://www.facebook.com/phillyinquirer/posts/10153188754083...
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Try as she might, she is not particularly convincing here as an ace journalist who sets out to uncover the mystery behind the death of seven people in a
https://books.google.com/books?id=rYzvuQ5mHUcC&pg=PA70&lpg=P...

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Note added at 36 mins (2017-01-25 16:54:20 GMT)
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PAST VS PRESENT
In your examples, I'd say that while may can only be used in the present and future tenses, might can be - and often is - used in past, present and future.
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We do use "might" for the past situations.
Try as I might, I was never able to teach my dog to behave.

However, we also use "try as I might" for present situations. That is, we can say either:
Try as I may, I can't get my sister to clean up after herself.
Or
Try as I might, I can't get my sister to clean up after herself.

I believe that we even prefer 'might' over 'may' in these situations.
http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/try-as-i-might-may.25...

Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.
United States
Local time: 12:39
Native speaker of:

English,

Polish
PRO pts in category: 97

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

neutral

Mark Berelekhis: You have a tense issue here. Notice that all the links you provided use present tense. ++ I'm sorry, but you're wrong.

16 mins

-> Thank you, Mark. "Try as she might" works in the past tense; "try as she may" works best in the present tense.

neutral

El oso: Mark is too much of a nice guy, obviously. Misha the Terrible (he will forgive me this little metaphor of mine, I am sure ;-) would have probably said that using the wrong tense here clearly gives you away as a non-native :-)

57 mins

-> Thank you, El oso, for being one of the nice guys. I am sure you mean this as a compliment. We are all non-native in one of the languages here. Not convinced by my examples? What if the shoe is actually on the other foot?

agree

danya

14 hrs

-> Thank you, danya. I truly value your support here.

agree

LarisaK: "Try as someone might" is a "fixed form' also used in the past tense. Sounds good in this context. There is no usage of a wrong tense

16 hrs

-> Than you, LarisaK. I am enormously grateful. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

34 mins confidence:

best efforts (here)

Explanation:
For instance:
Despite her best efforts, Irina failed to become a real mom for her stepchildren

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Note added at 2 days14 hrs (2017-01-28 06:56:13 GMT)
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Despite her best efforts, Irina failed to win over her stepchildren.

El oso
Russian Federation
PRO pts in category: 35

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в руках

English translation: everything she could / everything in her power

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