El Ministerio del Tiempo S01E05: Spanish study pack

Show 8 more expressions

no veasyou wouldn't believe it / seriously / incredibly

colloquial

Used to intensify a statement, often to convey that something is surprisingly large, bad, good, or difficult. Functions as an adverbial booster rather than a literal instruction.

Hace un frío que no veas ahí fuera; mejor lleva abrigo.It's incredibly cold out there; you'd better take a coat.

ni de coñano way / absolutely not

colloquial

A very emphatic refusal or negation. Slightly crude in tone but extremely common in everyday speech for strong rejection of a suggestion.

¿Que trabajamos el sábado? Ni de coña, ya he hecho planes.Work on Saturday? No way, I've already made plans.

dar el rolloto do your thing / to get on with it / to make a move

colloquial

Informal encouragement to stop hesitating and act naturally or carry out what one is supposed to do. Often used among young people.

Venga, date el rollo y preséntate a ella de una vez.Come on, just do your thing and introduce yourself to her.

pasar la garantíato be past the warranty / to be too late to return something

colloquial

Used here with comic irony in a non-commercial context, playing on the consumer phrase to imply that a long-established arrangement can no longer be undone.

Llevas diez años en ese trabajo malísimo. Creo que ya ha pasado la garantía para quejarte.You've been in that terrible job for ten years. I think the warranty period for complaining has passed.

ponerse pesadoto be a pain / to get annoying / to keep pushing

colloquial

Describes someone who insists, repeats themselves, or refuses to drop a subject to the point of irritating others. Common in everyday complaints about behaviour.

Cuando se pone pesado con un tema, es imposible cambiar de conversación.When he gets annoying about a topic, it's impossible to change the subject.

es para hoycome on, hurry up / we haven't got all day

colloquial

An ironic set phrase used to hurry someone who is moving slowly or taking too long. The humour comes from the obviousness of the statement.

Venga, es para hoy, que el taxi ya está esperando abajo.Come on, hurry up, the taxi's already waiting downstairs.

lo que faltabathat's all we needed / just what we needed (sarcastic)

colloquial

A set phrase expressing ironic resignation, used when something unwelcome happens on top of an already difficult situation.

Se nos pinchó la rueda en la autopista. Lo que faltaba.We got a flat tyre on the motorway. Just what we needed.

ni lechesnothing of the sort / absolutely not

vulgar

A strong dismissive negation, similar in force to 'ni de coña' but with a slightly angrier tone. 'Leches' is a euphemistic softening of a stronger word and is widely understood.

Ese trabajo bien hecho, ni leches; lo hicieron fatal.That job done properly? Absolutely not, they did it terribly.

Any Time in the Past Was Better

Expressions to listen for

Key vocabulary