culebron

English translation: soap opera*

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Spanish term or phrase:	culebron
English translation:	soap opera*
Entered by:	Penelope Ausejo

06:02 Apr 29, 2005

Spanish to English translations [Non-PRO]
Other / Colloqial term

Spanish term or phrase: culebron

When I read this it was in reference to the annoying task of job-searching, so I can definitely assume it's a negative word. ("Ya te ire contando como sigue el culebron este.") I asked a Spanish speaker I knew about it, and she thought it was something impolite, but she wasn't sure what it meant. It may just be used in Spain... I'm not sure. Any enlightenment would be appreciated, gracias!

Samantha

soap opera*

Explanation:
Culebrón significa soap opera. Por eso se utiliza mucho para hablar de una historia interminable en la que a veces están involucradas muchas personas o es una historia muy complicada.

La palabra no es que sea "impolite", lo único es.. que es desagradable vivir un culebrón...

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Note added at 4 mins (2005-04-29 06:07:01 GMT)
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Según la RAE:

2. m. despect. Historia real con caracteres de culebrón televisivo, es decir, insólita, lacrimógena y sumamente larga.

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Note added at 13 mins (2005-04-29 06:15:33 GMT)
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En España se utiliza muchísimo y siempre con este sentido (además de para hacer referencia a las series de TV). En tu caso está claro que está utilizado en este sentido.

Selected response from:

Penelope Ausejo
Spain
Local time: 17:48

Grading comment

Thanks for the help!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +15

soap opera*

Penelope Ausejo

4 +1

drama (agree with pepis)

alebriones

soap opera

Kelvedon

someone sly as a fox

bigedsenior

male Snake

erikness

never ending story

aldazabal

Answers

10 mins confidence:

someone sly as a fox

Explanation:
Drae gives "culebron" as s/o astute that hides their thoughts.

bigedsenior
Local time: 08:48
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 264

3 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +15

soap opera*

Penelope Ausejo
Spain
Local time: 17:48
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 8

Grading comment

Thanks for the help!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

surfzone: ¡En el clavo!

24 mins

-> Thx surfzone :)

agree

patrick32

31 mins

-> Thx patrick :)

agree

Clare Macnamara: Definitely not a snake, unless one in the grass!

39 mins

-> Thx Clare :)

agree

jclopezpozas

52 mins

-> Thx jc :)

agree

Rafle: Si, eso...

1 hr

-> Thx Rafle :)

agree

alebriones

1 hr

-> Thx alebriones :)

agree

Javier Herrera (X)

1 hr

-> Thx Javier :)

agree

Catherine Reay

2 hrs

-> Thx Catherine :)

agree

cello

2 hrs

-> Thx cello :)

agree

katrinarozel

3 hrs

-> Thx katrina :)

agree

adelinea

4 hrs

-> Thx adelinea :)

agree

tazdog (X)

6 hrs

-> Thx Cindy :)

agree

Oso (X): ¶:^)

10 hrs

-> Thx Oso :)

agree

Adriana de Groote

11 hrs

-> Thx Adriana :)

agree

Gabriela Rodriguez

14 hrs

-> Thx gaby :)

26 mins confidence:

male Snake

Explanation:
I'll tell you later how this asshole (Male snake)is doing

erikness

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

drama (agree with pepis)

Explanation:
The explanation pepis gave is exactly right. It's like saying "I'll let you know how this drama unfolds" (the developments/details of the job-search endeavor)

alebriones
Native speaker of:

English,

Spanish
PRO pts in category: 4

3 hrs confidence:

never ending story

Explanation:
As an alternative to "soap opera", althouth in the same vein. Culebron, as used in Spain, refers to never ending soap operas from South America. Apparently they were called "culebrones" there, and the word catched in Spain.

aldazabal

6 hrs confidence:

soap opera

Explanation:
un culebron is a soap opera such as east enders or coronation street. The term is also used for never-ending situations, not negative word at all though.

Kelvedon
Local time: 16:48
Native speaker of:

Spanish

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