Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

no la llame a usted

English translation:

don't tempt fate

Added to glossary by Yvonne Becker
Sep 5, 2007 15:15
16 yrs ago
3 viewers *
Spanish term

no la llame a usted

Spanish to English Art/Literary Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Antes que nada, pienso que la preposición "a" está de más en la expresión.

Contexto: Cara de Ángel, como muchas personas en Latinoamérica, piensa que por hablar de una desgracia, esta puede ocurrir; como si uno la atrayera. Les incluyo dos diálogos en los que se usa la expresión.

"Diálogo 1:

CAMILA:
“Una desgracia…”

CARA DE ANGEL:
“sssss… **no la llame a usted**”"

Diálogo 2:

"CARA DE ANGEL:

“En todo caso, quiero que sepa que si la tengo aquí escondida es por su seguridad…¿qué piensa?

CAMILA:

“En las penurias que debe estar pasando mi pobre papá…Huyendo por sitios desconocidos con sed hambre sin amparo”

CARA DE ANGEL:

“No piense en desgracias, **no las llame**. Las cosas pasan si tienen que pasar…¡Qué lejos estaba usted de conocerme y qué lejos estaba yo de poder servir a su papá"

Proposed translations

+6
19 mins
Selected

don't tempt fate

sounds like this to me
Peer comment(s):

agree Elizabeth Lyons : When translating for meaning and localization, this seems best to me.
1 hr
thanks
agree Carol Gullidge : agree w Elizabeth - this seems most natural so far
4 hrs
thanks
agree Nora Bellettieri
10 hrs
thanks
agree forli : perfect
18 hrs
thanks
agree Brian McDougall
21 hrs
thanks
agree Maria Herrera
21 hrs
thanks
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks a lot"
2 mins

shhh, don't atract it towards you.

Suggestion.
Something went wrong...
+1
12 mins

don't summon them

Otra más.
Peer comment(s):

agree Lydia De Jorge
2 hrs
Gracias, Lydia.
Something went wrong...
+6
4 mins

Do not bring it upon yourself

Do not invoke them.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2007-09-05 18:57:33 GMT)
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In other words, don't invoke the bad mojo because even talking about it will cause it to fall upon you.
Peer comment(s):

agree teju
4 mins
Gracias amiga
agree Beta Cummins : It sounds perfect!
7 mins
gracias beta
agree Lara Galgani
21 mins
gracias lara
agree Cristina Santos
1 hr
Gracias Cristina
agree Maria Garcia
1 hr
Gracias maria
agree María Leonor Acevedo-Miranda
1 hr
gracias maria leonor
neutral Carol Gullidge : not terribly natural in English dialogue
4 hrs
Something went wrong...
5 hrs

don't call it down upon yourself

just a suggestion...
Something went wrong...
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