patrañas
/patɾaɲas/from spelling rules
The English phrase "bull hockey" is translated into Spanish as patrañas.
patrañas is used to describe nonsense or lies that are specifically intended to deceive someone.
How do you pronounce it?
/patɾaɲas/
Did you know?
- In certain Caribbean dialects, you might hear people use the word guayaba or chiva to describe nonsense or lies, moving away from the more formal-sounding patrañas.
- When someone tells a lie that is incredibly long-winded and complicated, a Spaniard might call it a película, literally translating to 'a movie'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, rather than just calling something patrañas, people might use the expression cuento chino to describe a complex or elaborate lie.
Examples in context
- ¡Venga ya! No me cuentes pamplinas.Come on! Don't tell me nonsense.
- No te creas esas patrañas.Don't believe those lies.
- Él solo cuenta patrañas para engañarnos.He only tells nonsense to deceive us.
- Basta ya de tantas patrañas.Enough with all these lies.
Example conversation
Alejandro is making a wild excuse for being late.
- AlejandroUn alienígena robó mi coche hoy.An alien stole my car today.
- ElenaAlejandro, deja de decir patrañas.Alejandro, stop talking nonsense.
- Alejandro¡Te juro que es la verdad!I swear it's the truth!
- ElenaNo te creo nada.I don't believe you at all.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
