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Paisaje de Barrojos

Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

se rompía el lomo

English translation:

broke his/her back

Added to glossary by Angel Biojo
Nov 22, 2012 05:21
11 yrs ago
4 viewers *
Spanish term

se rompía el lomo

Spanish to English Social Sciences Poetry & Literature Literature
Él capó clases mientras su madre se rompía el lomo para llevar la comida a casa, porque el mismo hijo, cuando nació, conoció a su papá ya anciano.

NOTA: En Colombia no ir a clases se dice "capar clases" y "romperse el lomo" es trabajar como esclavo.
Proposed translations (English)
5 +3 broke his/her back
4 +8 worked her fingers to the bone
4 +2 slogged her guts out
4 broke her back

Discussion

Angel Biojo (asker) Nov 22, 2012:
se rompía el lomo "...slogged her guts out..." suena bien Yaotl. Gracias.

Proposed translations

+3
1 hr
Selected

broke his/her back

Así se dice seguro, entre otras formas. Ésta traducción es más literal, pero es idiomática en inglés.
En este caso "her", claro.

The Monster | Distance
novarridistance.blogspot.com/2011/.../monster.ht... - Traducir esta página
14 Oct 2011 – His face was thinner, and lined already, but he could not or would not frown even as he broke his back to earn a piddling salary. All those wires ...
Peer comment(s):
agree Cyril B. : :)
1 min
Thanks, Cyril.
agree Guillermo Urbina Valdés
4 hrs
Gracias, Guillermo.
agree claudia bagnardi : "...that a man must break his back to earn his day of leisure"...Girl....Beatles. Remember?
6 hrs
:-)) Thank you, Claudia.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Muchas gracias Alejandro."
+2
17 mins

slogged her guts out

Peer comment(s):
agree Jesús Morales : Yes, or "he/she worked his/her butt off" in the US version
2 hrs
agree Carol Gullidge
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
1 hr

broke her back

Same image in EN

Papa says, "Son, it's the land of the free,"
As he broke his back trying to make ends meet...
http://rapgenius.com/Allen-stone-unaware-lyrics

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2012-11-22 06:25:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2135432
Something went wrong...
+8
1 hr

worked her fingers to the bone

Another idiomatic way of putting it.
Peer comment(s):
agree Charles Davis : Very suitable here, and almost certainly what would be said (UK or US) when referring to a mother. For some reason it is mainly women who work their fingers to the bone, while men slog their guts out (type of work, I suppose).
10 mins
Thanks Charles!
agree Carol Gullidge : Charles makes a good point about the gender issue, although I don't think it's a hard and fast rule
1 hr
Thank you Carol.
agree Jenni Lukac (X)
1 hr
Thanks Jenni.
agree Jane Martin
2 hrs
Thanks Jane.
agree Alistair Ian Spearing Ortiz
2 hrs
Thanks Alistair!
agree Andres Fekete
5 hrs
Thank you Andres!
agree Marian Vieyra : Agree more suitable for a mother who works hard.
2 days 7 hrs
agree Lucy Williams
2 days 7 hrs
Something went wrong...
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