sobre mi cadáver
/sobɾe mi kadabeɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "over my dead body" is translated into Spanish as sobre mi cadáver.
sobre mi cadáver is used to express strong determination to prevent something from happening. It is most commonly used as an exclamation, ¡Sobre mi cadáver!, to express absolute refusal.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of over my corpse.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is fixed and does not change based on the person speaking. You do not change mi to match other subjects if you are expressing your own refusal.
How do you pronounce it?
/sobɾe mi kadabeɾ/
Did you know?
- While sobre mi cadáver is a direct equivalent, Spanish speakers often use ni hablar to express the same absolute refusal in casual conversation.
- Using a strong exclamation like ¡Sobre mi cadáver! can be perceived as significantly more confrontational or theatrical in many Spanish-speaking cultures than the English equivalent.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, people use the hyperbolic phrase ni aunque me paguen to express the same level of refusal, implying they would not agree even for money.
Examples in context
- ¡Sobre mi cadáver!Over my dead body!This sentence is useful for seeing how to use sobre mi cadáver as an exclamation.Tatoeba #1459604 by marcelostockle, translation #1588709 by _undertoad
- Antes muerto/a que tocarlo.Rather dead than touching it.
- ¡Ni borracho/a! Are you crazy?Not even drunk! Are you crazy?
- No vas a vender esa casa sobre mi cadáver.You are not selling that house over my dead body.
- Él quiere irse de la ciudad sobre mi cadáver.He wants to leave the city over my dead body.
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are arguing about selling a family heirloom.
- ElenaQuiero vender este reloj antiguo, Elena.I want to sell this antique watch, Elena.
- Daniel¡Eso pasará sobre mi cadáver, Daniel!That will happen over my dead body, Daniel!
- ElenaEs solo un objeto, no es para tanto.It is just an object, it is not that big of a deal.
- DanielEs una reliquia familiar y no se vende.It is a family heirloom and it is not for sale.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
