poner los ojos en blanco
/poneɾ los oxos en blanko/from spelling rules
The phrase 'roll your eyes' in Spanish is poner los ojos en blanco.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase means 'to put the eyes in white,' which refers to the way the sclera (the white part of the eye) becomes visible when the eyes are rolled upward.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using this phrase, you must conjugate the verb poner to match the subject.
Did you know?
- In some contexts, the phrase ponerse en blanco (dropping the 'eyes') is used to describe a 'mental block' where a person suddenly forgets everything during an exam or speech.
- While English speakers use the phrase to show annoyance, a Spanish speaker saying poner los ojos en blanco might actually be signaling that they find a statement completely unbelievable.
- The word blanco in this phrase comes from the Proto-Germanic word *blankaz, which meant 'blinding' or 'bright' rather than just a simple color.
Examples in context
- ¡No puedo creer lo que hizo! – exclamó María mientras revoleaba los ojos.I can't believe what he did! – exclaimed Maria while rolling her eyes.
- Ella puso los ojos en blanco cuando él empezó a quejarse.She rolled her eyes when he started complaining.
- No dejes de poner los ojos en blanco cuando hablo.Don't keep rolling your eyes when I talk.
- Ella suele poner los ojos en blanco ante mis bromas.She tends to roll her eyes at my jokes.
- Viste cómo él empezó a poner los ojos en blanco.You saw how he started to roll his eyes.
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are talking about his boss's annoying habits.
- María¿Tu jefe te vuelve a molestar hoy?Is your boss bothering you again today?
- AlejandroSí, no puedo evitar poner los ojos en blanco.Yes, I can't help rolling my eyes.
- MaríaTe entiendo, es una situación muy difícil.I understand you, it's a very difficult situation.
- AlejandroGracias por escucharme, María.Thanks for listening to me, María.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries blanco, en, los, poner, CC BY-SA 4.0.
