Does Sí, Se Puede Mean Yes, We Can

Sà ­, se puede  is a common rallying cry heard at pro-immigration events across the United States, and it is often used at other political events. Most of the news media have translated the phrase as meaning Yes, we can — even though theres no we verb form in the slogan. The phrase gained an uptick in popularity in both English and Spanish when Yes, we can, was adopted as the primary slogan used by the Obama presidential campaign leading up to President Obamas election in 2008 and reelection in 2012. History of the Phrase Sà ­,  se  puede  is the motto of the United Farm Workers, a labor union for farmworkers in the United States. The phrase was the rallying cry attributed in 1972 to Mexican-American  farm worker Cesar Chavez, an American labor leader and civil rights activist. He popularized the cry during a 24-day hunger strike protesting farm labor laws in Phoenix, Ariz. that restricted laborers rights. In 1962, Chavez  co-founded the National Farm Workers Association. The association later became known as the United Farm Workers. Is the Usual Translation of Sà ­, Se Puede Accurate? Is Yes, we can an accurate translation? Yes and no. Since theres no plural verb nor a first-person verb in that sentence, the typical way of saying we can would be  podemos, from the verb poder. So Yes, we can is not a literal translation of sà ­, se puede. In fact, we do not have a good literal translation of the phrase. Sà ­ clearly means yes, but se puede is problematic. It can comes close to its literal meaning but leaves out the vague sense of emphasis and intention  that se provides here. So just what does se puede mean? Out of context, it would be translated loosely as it can be done. But context matters, and as part of a group chant, the translation of yes, we can is entirely appropriate. Se puede is a phrase of empowerment (puede is a close cousin of el poder, a noun meaning power), and we can conveys that thought well even if not a literal equivalent. Other Places the Phrase Has Been Used Use of Sà ­, se puede has spread beyond its original context. Some other examples: Sà ­ Se Puede! (note the lack of an opening exclamation point) was the title of an album by the rock group Los Lobos. Proceeds from album sales were to the United Farm Workers.Sà ­ Se Puede has been used as a slogan for the Colorado-based Law School ... Yes We Can program, which encourages students from that state to consider a legal career. ¡Sà ­, se puede! is the Spanish title of a 2002 bilingual book about a fictional janitors strike.The slogan has been used as a chant at sport events featuring Spanish-speaking athletes.Belisario Betancur, president of Colombia from 1982 to 1986, used the slogan in his campaign.A political coalition in Spain used the slogan Unidos sà ­ se puede during the 2016 elections. Unidos means united.The airline Aeromexico faced legal challenges when it used the phrase con Aeromà ©xico sà ­ se puede in its advertising. (Con is a preposition usually meaning with.) Principles of Translation Some of the best advice for translating to and from English and Spanish is to translate for meaning rather than to translate words. Review the  principles of translation; usually, there is not much difference between the two approaches.