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guagua

English translation: ..there's something fishy about../stinks...

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:guagua
English translation:..there's something fishy about../stinks...
Entered by: Myriam S

12:25 Apr 2, 2008
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Slang / Text is from Chile
Spanish term or phrase: guagua
In this context: El presidente regional siente que hay olor a guagua en el trato dispensado por la compania a el y a los alcaldes...

can I say, something reeks?
Myriam S
United States
Local time: 16:36
..there's something fishy about../stinks...
Explanation:
Or if we're talking about baby smells maybe it could be metaphorical:

"...feels that there is something juvenile about the treatment....."

Hard to tell what they are referring to without more context.
Selected response from:

Lisa McCarthy
Spain
Local time: 22:36
Grading comment
Thank you for your help. I ended up using the word fishy, since it not only speaks of something smelly but also deception.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +8..there's something fishy about../stinks...
Lisa McCarthy
4 +5seems to be rotten; reeks
Michael Powers (PhD)
4 +4baby
Michael Brady
4 +2"sniffed at" attitude/looked down upon/ snobbish treatment
bcsantos
3 +3bus
Marina Nogales
4 +2appalling treatment
Graciela Vicente
5 +1it smells,it stinks a bit,a smelling or weird(rare) surround.(See below)
Vladimir Martinez


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
baby


Explanation:
This is slang for "baby" in Chile. It comes from the noise they make "gua gua gua gua"!!! I don`t know whether it helps in this context.

Michael Brady
Spain
Local time: 22:36
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  JOHN PENNEY (X): neither of these suggestions makes any sense whatsoever in the context.
4 mins
agree  María T. Vargas: It's definitely "baby" in Chile where I lived three years and where my husband's twin grandsons live.
15 mins
agree  Reza Mohammadnia
8 hrs
agree  eesegura: Of course - smells like a baby (baby's diaper, probably, meaning it stinks)... ;oD
14 hrs
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
seems to be rotten; reeks


Explanation:
In this context, given the stench of urine in diapers - absolutely - although the first part might be rewritten as "olor a guagua"

Mike :)

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Note added at 6 mins (2008-04-02 12:31:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It means "bus" in places like Cuba. In some of the Andean countries it does mean "baby" in isoilatoin; and, when something smells like a baby, it obviously refers to urine, and in this figurative context, your suggest of "reeks" makes sense or something similar.

Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 16:36
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ametista
3 mins
  -> Thank you, Ametista - Mike :)
agree  Sinead --
20 mins
  -> Thank you, Sinead - Mike :)
agree  Robert Copeland
31 mins
  -> Thank you, Robert - Mike :)
agree  Maria Bedoya
42 mins
  -> Thank you, Maria - Mike :)
agree  Reza Mohammadnia
8 hrs
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11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
"sniffed at" attitude/looked down upon/ snobbish treatment


Explanation:
Guagua meaning bus where the lower classes ride. Just some ideas.

bcsantos
Gibraltar
Local time: 22:36
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  JoLuGo: Si, recibir mal trato o malas caras, como si olieras a guagua(bus urbano o bebe sin cambiar) o peor
2 hrs
  -> gracias:)
agree  Reza Mohammadnia: maybe
8 hrs
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24 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +8
..there's something fishy about../stinks...


Explanation:
Or if we're talking about baby smells maybe it could be metaphorical:

"...feels that there is something juvenile about the treatment....."

Hard to tell what they are referring to without more context.


Lisa McCarthy
Spain
Local time: 22:36
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you for your help. I ended up using the word fishy, since it not only speaks of something smelly but also deception.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Robert Copeland
13 mins
  -> Thanks Robert!
agree  Janine Libbey
1 hr
  -> Thanks Viva!
agree  eloso (X): I like it!
2 hrs
  -> Thanks Eloso!
agree  Adriana de Groote: There's something fishy about... Perfecto!
2 hrs
  -> Thanks Adriana!
agree  Simon Bruni: fishy, definitely
2 hrs
  -> Thanks Simon!
agree  Michael Powers (PhD): I like "fishy" and "stinks" - Mike :)
3 hrs
  -> Cheers Mike! They go hand in hand really.
agree  Reza Mohammadnia: Accurate
8 hrs
agree  Gary Smith Lawson: Also "to smell a rat".
1 day 19 hrs
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
bus


Explanation:
guagua is also slang for bus in the Canaries

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2008-04-02 12:42:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It wasnt specified where the text came from but thanks for the comments

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 38 mins (2008-04-02 13:03:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Then i would go with your original, something reeks! SOunds good and appropiate to me

Marina Nogales
Spain
Local time: 22:36
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  De Novi: 100%! Also, all over the caribbean,Mexico and Venezuela it means 'bus'...
6 mins
  -> thanks!
disagree  Michael Brady: This text is from Chile - slang for bus in Chile is "micro". Guagua here is a "baby"
11 mins
  -> didnt know the text was from chile sorry
agree  Cesar Serrano: Definitely! *Guagua* is baby in Ecuador, but not in Chile...Saludos!
1 hr
agree  Clayton Causey: 95% of the time I've heard this term among international Spanish speakers it means bus. However, I've never been anywhere in Mexico where it means bus. It usually means a dog or the "bowwow" i.e. the sound a dog makes. Can we have some more info Zanne?
3 hrs
agree  Reza Mohammadnia: nice
8 hrs
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48 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
appalling treatment


Explanation:
Guagua means baby, and when we talk about baby smells we usually mean the smeel of poo. I believe that olor a guagua is an euphemism for a shitty treatment. Of course I bet you can not use shitty therefore appaling is more appealing. At least that is my opinion.

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Note added at 50 mins (2008-04-02 13:15:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Of course you can use something reeks, that is the whole idea

Graciela Vicente
Local time: 06:06
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  JoLuGo: Si, recibir mal trato o malas caras, como si olieras a guagua(bus urbano o bebe sin cambiar) o peor
1 hr
  -> Gracias JoLuGo
agree  Reza Mohammadnia
7 hrs
  -> Gracias Reza
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
it smells,it stinks a bit,a smelling or weird(rare) surround.(See below)


Explanation:
For us Latinamericans the term "Guagua" refers to Bus and according to the phrase it´s possible that He refers his-self to a "weird or rare" surroundings,"environment","atmosphere" between those people or about their behavior.In the "Guagua" or Bus there´re so many mixtures of smells,rare odours and scents,bad smells or "aromas",fragances,so I guess,perhaps the President was talking about the weird or strange welcome or behavior from the others!
Good Luck!

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Note added at 4 hrs (2008-04-02 16:57:30 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The term "Guagua" is also used in Canary Islands(Islas Canarias) and means the same!

Vladimir Martinez
Spain
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Reza Mohammadnia
4 hrs
  -> thanks Reza!
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