darlo por perdido
/daɾlo poɾ peɾdido/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'kiss it goodbye' is translated into Spanish as darlo por perdido.
This phrase is used to express that you must accept that you have lost something or that a specific event will not happen.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, an alternative expression for 'kiss it goodbye' is Chau, no lo tenés más.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the objects being lost are masculine or mixed-gender plural, the phrase becomes darlos por perdidos.
How do you pronounce it?
/daɾlo poɾ peɾdido/
Did you know?
- The expression darlo por perdido can be applied to people in a way that implies a total severance of a relationship. This usage transcends the simple loss of a physical item.
- The word por in this phrase is a descendant of the Latin prō. It is a doublet of the word pro, which entered the Spanish language through a separate borrowing process.
- The structure dar por is a versatile linguistic tool used for assumptions. For instance, dar por hecho is used when you 'take for granted' that something is already finished.
Examples in context
- Si no entregas el informe hoy, puedes darlo por perdido.If you don't hand in the report today, you can kiss it goodbye.
- Si no llegamos a tiempo, habrá que darlo por perdido.If we don't arrive on time, we'll have to kiss it goodbye.
- No hay arreglo, ya puedes darlo por perdido.It can't be fixed, you can kiss it goodbye.
Example conversation
Alejandro is telling María that their car might not be repaired in time for their trip.
- MaríaAlejandro, ¿podremos usar el coche mañana?Alejandro, will we be able to use the car tomorrow?
- AlejandroNo lo creo, mejor hay que darlo por perdido.I don't think so, we'd better kiss it goodbye.
- María¡Qué mal! ¿Y nuestro viaje de fin de semana?That's too bad! What about our weekend trip?
- AlejandroSi no tenemos transporte, habrá que darlo por perdido.If we don't have transport, we'll have to kiss it goodbye.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
