Set words, statements or phrases with meanings other than the literal sum of their parts.
13
votes
5answers
367 views
Is there a Spanish equivalent to “-ish”?
In English, we often add "-ish" to the end of a word to make it less exact.
Here are some examples:
I'll be there at 5:00ish.
The shirt was a reddish color.
The woman appeared to be 50ish. ...
12
votes
5answers
421 views
How to translate the idiom: “missing the point”?
What would be the correct way to translate into Spanish the idiom: "to miss the point"?
I'm often tempted to write "perder el punto", but it doesn't sound quite right.
For example: "To bring ...
11
votes
4answers
237 views
Translation of “bug” to Spanish
What is the best way to translate "bug", as in a misfeature of a computer program or device?
Google translate offers a few options, none of which quite seem to fit, except the term itself:
bug ...
11
votes
2answers
1k views
Why isn't “good morning” “buenas mañanas”?
"Good afternoon" is "buenas tardes", and "Good night/evening" is "buenas noches".
Then why isn't "good morning" "buenas mañanas" instead of "buenos días"?
10
votes
5answers
551 views
How do you say “I got you!” in spanish
If I threw a snowball (or dodgeball) at someone and it hit them, how would I say "I got you!" in spanish?
10
votes
2answers
371 views
Usage of “oso” to express embarrassment
I have heard the idiom
¡Que oso!
...used to express embarrassment by a former acquaintance from Colombia but have never met another Spanish speaker who uses this expression.
My questions:
...
10
votes
1answer
112 views
Plug vs Socket: Interchangeable?
Many dictionaries that I have looked at online seem to use enchufe as a word that is interchangeable for the English words plug and socket, which are two related, but distinct objects. Some ...
9
votes
4answers
596 views
How to translate the idiomatic expressions “I wish!” and “You wish!”
What's the best way to say "I wish!" as in...
A: I hear you're a good dancer.
B: Ha! I wish!
Or...
A: Will you help me move this piano?
B: Ha! You wish!
What is the best way to ...
9
votes
6answers
449 views
¿Qué significa la frase “Estoy más puesta que un calcetín”?
Una amiga mexicana me dijo la frase "Estoy más puesta que un calcetín." ¿Qué significa eso?
El contexto es que ella me ofrece una lección de baile.
Ella: Yo te doy unas clasesitas de baile.
...
9
votes
1answer
665 views
“Desde luego” meaning and etymology
Español
Esta pregunta me recuerda a una frase similar, "desde luego", que no es eso literalmente, sino que significa "por supuesto" (según el DRAE):
luego.
[...]
desde ~.
loc. adv. ...
8
votes
2answers
196 views
¿Qué significa “de pe a pa”?
¿Cúal es el significado de la siguiente expresión "de pe a pa"?
Por ejemplo:
Tienes que aprenderte esto de pe a pa.
8
votes
2answers
439 views
How to translate “make it count”
This evening a friend saw a poster in English that said something like:
If you have only one chance at opportunity, make it count.
She asked me what it meant. She knew enough English to make out ...
8
votes
3answers
1k views
¿Qué significa en Argentina “al pedo”?
He escuchado y leído a argentinos decir "al pedo", por ejemplo, "estoy al pedo". Es evidente que NO se refiere a "estar pedo", que significa "estar borracho" en algunos sitios.
¿Qué significa "estar ...
8
votes
3answers
626 views
Translating “looking forward to”
In English, we often used the phrase looking forward to when we are excited about something in the future:
I'm looking forward to seeing you next week!
I'm really looking forward to finals ...
7
votes
4answers
1k views
What's the meaning of the expression “nada que ver”?
What's the meaning of the expression "nada que ver"?
In which countries is used?
Here are some examples:
Lo que dices no tiene nada que ver con lo que estamos discutiendo.
Conversation between ...
7
votes
4answers
109 views
How to translate “open source” and “free software” and keep the distinction?
In English, when describing software you say "open source" to refer to software that's source code has been made available under a license.
"Free software" refers to 'truly free' software that can be ...
7
votes
1answer
111 views
¿Cuál es el origen del frase “media naranja”?
He oído la frase "media naranja" unas veces, y puedo entender el contexto, que significa una pareja o novia, por ejemplo. Pero quiero saber el origen de esa frase. A mi, ese frase me parece muy rara.
...
7
votes
7answers
425 views
¿Qué significa “salir del paso?”
Estoy leyendo esta página, y tiene la frase:
Es una solución para salir del paso. Da mejores resultados entre idiomas de origen indoeuropeo, como es de esperar. Pero si se necesita una traducción ...
7
votes
3answers
314 views
Idiomatic translation of “Dame tu luz”?
In the song Pequeño Amor by the Chiquitas, there is the following chorus:
Pequeño amor,
por siempre tú
pequeño amor,
dame tu luz
The song is a duet, and the above is sung by members of the ...
7
votes
2answers
160 views
¿Qué significa “la tercera edad”?
Una amiga me dijo:
Estoy a cargo de mamá que es una señora de la tercera edad.
¿Qué significa "la tercera edad"?
7
votes
2answers
92 views
¿En qué países se utiliza la expresión “colgar el sambenito”?
Como resultado de una pregunta anterior relacionada con el concepto de culpabilidad (guilt trip), surgió la expresión (frecuente en España) "colgar el sambenito", que significa "culpar a alguien ...
6
votes
2answers
170 views
¿Qué significa “pata de perro”?
Hoy una amiga me dijo "Soy pata de perro".
Yo entiendo las palabras literalmente, pero ¿qué significa esa expresión?
6
votes
2answers
229 views
What is the meaning of the phrase “¿Cómo ves?”?
I often hear (or read in online chats) people say ¿Cómo ves?, typically after the end of an explanation of something.
What does this really mean? It's phrased as a question, but rarely does it seem ...
6
votes
2answers
219 views
Origin and use of “echar de menos”
I've always found peculiar that the phrase echar de menos is synonymous of the verb extrañar. For example:
Te echaré de menos.
is equivalent to:
Te extrañaré.
Based on TV, its use is most ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Forma correcta de “nisiquiera”
Al escribir siempre he tenido la duda de cuál es la manera apropiada del término o frase.
¿Es "ni si quiera", "ni siquiera" o todo junto "nisiquiera"?.
When writing I've always worred about which ...
6
votes
2answers
149 views
Translation: “so” to begin a sentence
So in English I often start sentences with the word 'so'. Often I do this when beginning an explanation, but there are heaps of other uses too, like when telling a story or when expecting an answer ...
6
votes
4answers
118 views
Is there a translation for “He thumbed his nose at them”?
In English if you "thumb your nose at someone" you are ignoring their authority..
Is there an expression in Spanish that conveys that same sort of disrespect?
Edit: adding example.
Many ...
6
votes
2answers
794 views
What does the “lo” in “pasarlo bien” refer to?
The phrase pasarlo bien means something like "to have a good time" in sentences like, "Lo pasamos muy bien anoche." What does the "lo" in this phrase refer to? Does it replace an actual noun, or is it ...
6
votes
2answers
247 views
What's the meaning of the Mexican expression “se te va el avión”?
Example:
Te lo dije tres veces y de todos modos no lo hiciste. A ti ya se te va el avión.
¿No te acordaste de tu cumpleaños? La verdad es que a ti ya se te va el avión.
What does it mean?
...
5
votes
3answers
211 views
Translations of 'anyway'
I spoke with a friend that I haven't spoken to in a long time. He started with a question about a test he is having. After I answered the question, I wanted to ask him:
"How have you been anyway?"
...
5
votes
3answers
189 views
¿Cuál es el origen de la frase “al pan, pan, y al vino, vino”?
Creo que la expresión quiere decir que algo fue dicho con claridad, pero ¿de donde viene la expresión? Es decir: ¿a qué se refiere originalmente? ¿Por qué pan y vino, precisamente?
5
votes
3answers
502 views
What's the meaning of “Y yo voy y me lo creo”?
What's the meaning of "Y yo voy y me lo creo"? I encountered it in a Spanish novel. With 146,000 Google.es hits, it seems to be a set expression. Context helps, but doesn't remove all doubts.
5
votes
1answer
72 views
Origen y uso de la frase “Para más inri”
Acabo de leer en un diario español la frase "para más inri", y según el diccionario on-line que ofrecen, significa "por si fuera poco".
Yo nunca había leído ni escuchado tal frase.
Mi pregunta ...
5
votes
3answers
403 views
What is “ya va” in Venezuelan Spanish?
I heard the expression "llava" / "ya va" (?) being used in Venezuelan Spanish. It seems to have the meaning of "wait a moment", but my Mexican friend don't understand it.
Does anyone who know what ...
5
votes
1answer
109 views
Does “Prima” have a double-meaning (in Mexico)?
I recently saw this billboard in Léon, Guanajuato, México:
[Sorry for the awkward placement of the light pole in the photo; I was driving when I snapped it.]
The sign is an advertisement for ...
5
votes
1answer
206 views
Origin of the phrase “la quinta …” to denote an undesirable or faraway place
The Colombian phrase la quinta porra denotes an undesirable or faraway place. For example,
¡Váyase a la quinta porra!
conveys the same meaning as
Go to hell!
The earliest use I could find ...
5
votes
2answers
120 views
Definición de “pistear”
Hoy alguien usó la palabra pistear conmigo, en el contexto de una fiesta, o bebiendo. No puedo encontrar una definición relevante. DRAE tiene dos definiciones regionales:
tr. El Salv. Pagar ...
5
votes
1answer
117 views
Usage of “donde la espalda cambia de nombre”
In this answer to this previous question of mine, the answerer used the phrase
Antonio se hirió donde la espalda cambia de nombre.
as an example of a milder version of
Antonio se hirió en ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
Are there any differences between “de nada” and “por nada”?
Most of the time in all the Spanish speaking countries I've been in I've heard de nada as the reply to gracias or the equivalent of English you're welcome etc.
But after a while I became conscious ...
5
votes
2answers
251 views
How should we translate “everything but the kitchen sink” or “the whole enchilada”?
There is an idiom that is popular (and old) in English that states "everything but the kitchen sink". This is a phrase that means "everything that could be conceived".
Som examples:
"I realized ...
4
votes
8answers
649 views
How would you translate the word “badass” to Spanish?
I was thinking maybe of "cabrón" or "chingon" ; however I think those two sound too Mexican specific. Does anybody know a better and less region specific equivalent?
4
votes
3answers
95 views
Cómo decir “college dropout”?
Aparentemente no hay una traducción exacta del frase inglés "college dropout" ... la mejor que podria encontrar es "estudiante que abandona la universidad antes de graduarse", cual me parece ...
4
votes
2answers
320 views
Translation of “to talk behind someone's back”
What is the typical Spanish translation of the English idiom "to talk behind someone's back" (as in saying something bad about another person to others instead of to them directly)?
4
votes
3answers
109 views
Comer y beber como animales
En todos los idiomas se producen comparaciones con animales para expresar que una persona come o bebe mucho.
En inglés, conozco las expresiones to drink like a fish y to eat like a horse.
En España ...
4
votes
3answers
234 views
How can I translate the expression “sour grapes” to Spanish?
From the Oxford dictionary:
sour grapes
used to refer to an attitude in which someone adopts a negative attitude to something because they cannot have it themselves:
government officials ...
4
votes
1answer
122 views
How to interpret “dar a” or “dar a conocer”?
I only know "dar" in its literal sense of "to give".
And I know "conocer" in its literal sense of "to know" or "to get to know".
But in reading Cien años de soledad I came to this passage:
... y ...
4
votes
1answer
299 views
Is there an equivalent idiom for “Slow and steady wins the race”?
English has an idiom: "Slow and steady wins the race." It is used to describe situations where slow, steady progress towards a goal is better than a rushed attempt to achieve things all at once (and I ...
4
votes
2answers
172 views
Understanding “desde ya”
I have heard the phrase "desde ya" used to mean "in advance." Literally, it means "since already." How is it understood to mean "in advance," or is it simply an idiom with a nonsense literal meaning? ...
4
votes
2answers
120 views
What is the meaning of “melaza” in the song “Caras Lindas”?
This is the song. The word is translated by online lyrics, RAE and wordreference.com as molasses. But it doesn't make sense to me in the context.
Somos la melaza que ríe
Somos la melaza que ...
4
votes
2answers
163 views
Translation of “Under Pressure” — Queen song title
Today I heard Under Pressure by Queen on the radio. After the song, the DJ announced the song as Alta Presión. That sounds more to me like "High Pressure" than "Under Pressure." I would have ...
