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Other / Proverb | | Spanish term or phrase: Es como la gata flora | This is a saying or idiom in Spanish that means nothing is good for you, I give you black you cry I give you white you cry too. Is there an equivalent idiom or saying in English?
Thank you |
| | | English translation:Nothing ever pleases him/her | Explanation:
This is a typical Uruguayan adage, which goes right to the heart of a very distinguishing trait in Uruguayan idiosyncrasy: nonconformism. They say we all Uruguayans have some degree of "gataflorismo" in us.
"Es como la gata flora: cuando se la ponen grita, cuando se la sacan llora." In Uruguay, the saying (certainly, not exempted of sexual connotations) is said to have been coined by early 20th century politicians of the Colorado Party, puzzled by the never pleased Uruguayan voters.
Unfortunately, there's no English counterpart for this idiom. The closest one is that proposed by Lydia here ("damned if you do, damned if you don't), but in reality that one in Spanish is the famous: "Palo porque bogas; y si no bogas, palo." It doesn't really convey the nonconformity of the subject in "la gata flora", but rather his impotence, that whatever he does would not help him. And, most importantlly, in your context, it wouldn't fit at all. So I'd go for:
"Es como la gata flora" = "Nothing ever pleases him/her."
Regards and good luck! |
| Selected response from:
Ricardo Galarza
Uruguay
Local time: 20:53
| Grading comment Thanks a lot for the explanation. It's true this is Uruguayan.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
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| Discussion entries: 0 |
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45 mins confidence:  
1 hr confidence:
2 hrs confidence:
4 hrs confidence: There's no pleasing her / him
Explanation:
spanish dictionary - - Foreign Language Study - 976 páginas
... complacer, (satisfy) satisfacer; he did it to p. us, lo hizo para complacemos; there's no pleasing her, no hay forma de contentarla; this will p. you, ...
books.google.es/books?isbn=1840224967...
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5 hrs confidence: Nothing ever pleases him/her
Explanation:
This is a typical Uruguayan adage, which goes right to the heart of a very distinguishing trait in Uruguayan idiosyncrasy: nonconformism. They say we all Uruguayans have some degree of "gataflorismo" in us.
"Es como la gata flora: cuando se la ponen grita, cuando se la sacan llora." In Uruguay, the saying (certainly, not exempted of sexual connotations) is said to have been coined by early 20th century politicians of the Colorado Party, puzzled by the never pleased Uruguayan voters.
Unfortunately, there's no English counterpart for this idiom. The closest one is that proposed by Lydia here ("damned if you do, damned if you don't), but in reality that one in Spanish is the famous: "Palo porque bogas; y si no bogas, palo." It doesn't really convey the nonconformity of the subject in "la gata flora", but rather his impotence, that whatever he does would not help him. And, most importantlly, in your context, it wouldn't fit at all. So I'd go for:
"Es como la gata flora" = "Nothing ever pleases him/her."
Regards and good luck!
| Ricardo Galarza
Uruguay
Local time: 20:53
Native speaker of:  Spanish
PRO pts in category: 16
|
| | Grading comment | Thanks a lot for the explanation. It's true this is Uruguayan. |
| | Login to enter a peer comment (or grade) |
7 hrs confidence:
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