nos comieron las ratas

English translation: to be as poor as a church mouse

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Spanish term or phrase:	nos comen las ratas (ser muy pobre)
English translation:	to be as poor as a church mouse
Entered by:	Terry Burgess

02:14 Apr 3, 2002

Spanish to English translations [PRO]
/ informal set expressions

Spanish term or phrase: nos comieron las ratas

It's a very informal expression meaning that we are getting poorer and poorer. I need an equivalent in English.

Maria Eugenia Roca Rodriguez KudoZ activity Questions: 1158 (none open) (27 closed without grading) Answers: 40 Argentina
Local time: 05:08

to be [or, get, or become] as poor as a church mouse

Explanation:
From the Oxford Superlex.

I expect the expression means that a mouse will never find much food in a church.
Good Luck!
terry

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Note added at 2002-04-03 02:22:04 (GMT)
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Some other possible equivalents:
\"not to have a pot to pee in\"
\"not to have 2 pennies to rub together\"

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Note added at 2002-04-03 11:00:23 (GMT)
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Some added information to corroborate my answer.
See:
http://home.t-online.de/home/toni.goeller/idiom_wm/idioms450...

Good Luck!
terry

Selected response from:

Terry Burgess
Mexico
Local time: 02:08

Grading comment

Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +5

to be [or, get, or become] as poor as a church mouse

Terry Burgess

we haven't got a window to throw it out of

Henry Hinds

agree with terry burgess

luskie

We're being eaten alive.

Jon Zuber (X)

Answers

5 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +5

to be [or, get, or become] as poor as a church mouse

Terry Burgess
Mexico
Local time: 02:08
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 2372

Grading comment

Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.

6 mins confidence:

we haven't got a window to throw it out of

Explanation:
(or a pot to pee in). Ahí van esos dos.

Exp.

Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 02:08
Native speaker of:

English,

Spanish
PRO pts in pair: 26512

2 hrs confidence:

agree with terry burgess

Explanation:
I like this expression very much, and I think it is just about a church RAT! (sorry for the previous mismatch)

luskie
Local time: 10:08
Native speaker of:

Italian
PRO pts in pair: 199

16 hrs confidence:

We're being eaten alive.

Explanation:
That's how I would say it, if the problem was unmanageable expenses, but I'm not sure it would do in Br. Eng.

Jon Zuber (X)
PRO pts in pair: 172

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nos comieron las ratas

English translation: to be as poor as a church mouse

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