Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
bastaba estar en
English translation:
[See below.]
Spanish term
Belize
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
bastaba estar en
Bastaba estar en el evento para contagiarse de la alegría que se percibía en el lugar, desde el más pequeño hasta el más grande, dibujaba en su rostro una sonrisa desbordante.
My try:
You just had to be in the event to get infected by/experience the joy you could feel in the place, from the youngest to the oldest had a broad smile in their faces.
Non-PRO (2): franglish, Michele Fauble
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Proposed translations
United States
Translating words, preserving meaning
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, English
[See below.]
=
Anyone there could not help but be swept up by a prevailing joy that was all but palpable...
OR
Anyone there could not help but be swept up by a prevailing joy that was everwhere to be seen...
****
I have included a translation of the text that follows in order to demonstrate how my suggestion works in the context of the sentence. The real challenge here is dealing with "para contagiarse de la alegría."
I do not think that either of the previous suggestions will lead to a sentence that is natural in English.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2017-07-30 12:38:17 GMT)
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Perhaps better still:
...swept un in a...
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Note added at 3 hrs (2017-07-30 13:05:23 GMT)
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In previous comment, I meant:
...swept up in a...
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Note added at 3 days1 hr (2017-08-02 10:56:50 GMT) Post-grading
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ERRATUM
"EverYwhere" in second option above.
United States
US Court Cert. 1980 Ph.D. 1981
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, Portuguese to English, English to Spanish, and 2 more.
it was enough to be in // you only needed to be present
| agree |
Isamar
: But I would say 'at' (the event) rather than 'in'.
3 mins
|
| agree |
Andrew Bramhall
: in the event/at the event; depends on whether you're a participant or spectator.
16 mins
|
| agree |
neilmac
: My suggestion leaves out specific mention of the "event"...
37 mins
|
Simply being there was enough to....
Simply being there was enough to create indelible memories...
| agree |
Wendy Cummings
58 mins
|
| agree |
Marie Wilson
2 hrs
|
| agree |
franglish
3 hrs
|
| agree |
Helena Chavarria
: 'You only needed to be there.../Just (by) being there...' is what came to my mind.
5 hrs
|
| agree |
Mónica Hanlan
1 day 3 hrs
|
| agree |
MollyRose
: Sounds quite natural. Simply being there was enough to catch hold of the happiness that could be felt in the air...
1 day 12 hrs
|
United States
Laudable Lady Linguist
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 3 more.
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