ver o circo pegar fogo

English translation: to fiddle while Rome burns

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Portuguese term or phrase:	ver o circo pegar fogo
English translation:	to fiddle while Rome burns
Entered by:	Marlene Curtis

13:09 Oct 28, 2013

Portuguese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / idioms

Portuguese term or phrase: ver o circo pegar fogo

does anybody have a good equivalent for that ????

" tem sempre alguém querendo ver o circo pegar fogo!!" this is about the "rat" in the coke embroglio ....
thank you

Bett KudoZ activity Questions: 1147 (1 open) (31 closed without grading) Answers: 302
Local time: 17:39

to fiddle while Rome burns

Explanation:

http://en.pons.eu/translate/portuguese-english/circles

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Note added at 13 minutos (2013-10-28 13:22:53 GMT)
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Another reference.

http://yourenglishhomework.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.h...

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Note added at 14 minutos (2013-10-28 13:23:59 GMT)
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fique na sua - mind your own business
não é da sua conta - it´s not your business
mais atrapalha do que ajuda - do more harm than good
ver o circo pegar fogo - fiddling while Rome burns

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Note added at 4 horas (2013-10-28 18:04:23 GMT)
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A pessoa que gosta de "ver o circo pegar fogo" em geral provoca tais acontecimentos desastrosos se diverte com eles e não somente olha; foi essa exatamente a postura de Nero, que incendiou Roma e se divertiu com isso.

Selected response from:

Marlene Curtis
United States
Local time: 16:39

Grading comment

thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +6

watch all hell break loose

Verginia Ophof

4 +3

to fiddle while Rome burns

Marlene Curtis

watch the world burn

João Alejandro Souza Pimienta

Discussion entries: 2

Answers

18 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +6

watch all hell break loose

Explanation:

watch the bottom drops out

Verginia Ophof
Belize
Local time: 14:39
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 36

10 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

to fiddle while Rome burns

Marlene Curtis
United States
Local time: 16:39
Native speaker of:

Portuguese
PRO pts in category: 70

Grading comment

thank you!

2 days 2 hrs confidence:

watch the world burn

Explanation:
Watch hell break loose é uma opção, mas esta também o é. Assim como na frase "some men just want to watch the world burn".

João Alejandro Souza Pimienta
Brazil
Local time: 17:39
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Portuguese

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