me da pereza
/me da peɾeθa/from spelling rules
The English phrase "cba" (can't be bothered) can be expressed in Spanish as me da pereza.
me da pereza is used to express that one is too lazy to do something.
Which one should you use?
The exclamation qué pereza can be used to express that a situation or task is tedious or bothersome.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
me da pereza is an informal way to express a lack of motivation or effort and is common in daily speech. Another formal alternative is Estudio de Costo-Beneficio.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase me da pereza, the verb dar (to give) is used in a third-person singular construction where the subject is the activity that causes the laziness.
How do you pronounce it?
/me da peɾeθa/
Did you know?
- In a religious context, pereza is one of the seven deadly sins, known in English as 'sloth', making the phrase carry a heavier moral weight in formal literature.
- In some Latin American countries, you might hear people say me da flojera instead of me da pereza to express the same feeling of being unable to be bothered.
- While me da pereza is used for general laziness, Spanish has a specific word, dejadez, to describe the state of being neglected or sloppy as a result of that laziness.
Examples in context
- Me da pereza limpiar la cocina hoy.I can't be bothered to clean the kitchen today.
- Me da pereza cocinar una cena tan complicada.I can't be bothered to cook such a complicated dinner.
Example conversation
María and Daniel are deciding what to do on a Sunday afternoon.
- MaríaDaniel, ¿quieres salir a caminar un rato?Daniel, do you want to go for a walk for a bit?
- DanielNo, me da pereza salir de casa ahora.No, I can't be bothered to leave the house right now.
- María¡Qué vago eres, Daniel!You are so lazy, Daniel!
- DanielEs que me da pereza moverme.It's just that I can't be bothered to move.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
