barco que se hunde
/baɾko ke se unde/from spelling rules
The English phrase "sinking ship" is translated into Spanish as barco que se hunde.
This phrase is used metaphorically, much like in English, to describe an organization, project or situation that is failing and doomed to collapse. While barco que se hunde describes the ongoing process of sinking, the noun naufragio is used to refer to the shipwreck or the disaster itself.
Meaning: something doomed (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the plural "sinking ships", you must change both the noun and the verb to their plural forms: barcos que se hunden.
Did you know?
- The word que in barco que se hunde is a cognate of the English word 'who', as both descend from the same Proto-Indo-European root.
- In Spanish, the term náufrago refers specifically to the person who survives a shipwreck, whereas in English, 'shipwreck' refers only to the event or the vessel.
- While barco is the standard word for a ship, the feminine version barca is often used for smaller, more traditional rowing boats.
Examples in context
- Las ratas abandonan un barco que se hunde.Rats desert a sinking ship.This sentence illustrates the metaphorical use of barco que se hunde with rats.Tatoeba #5814002 by albrusgher, translation #273968 by CM
- La captura de los momentos finales del buque que se hunde se hizo viral.The footage of the ship's final moments sinking went viral.
- ¡El barco que se hunde está lleno de problemas!The sinking ship is full of problems!
- La empresa está como un barco que se va a pique.The company is like a sinking ship.
- Ese negocio es un barco que se hunde.That business is a sinking ship.
- No quiero trabajar en ese barco que se hunde.I don't want to work on that sinking ship.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are discussing a failing startup at a cafe.
- Alejandro¿Vas a invertir en esa empresa?Are you going to invest in that company?
- SofíaNo, para mí es un barco que se hunde.No, to me it is a sinking ship.
- AlejandroTienes razón, la situación es terrible.You are right, the situation is terrible.
- SofíaMejor busquemos algo con más futuro.Better we look for something with more of a future.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries barco, que, se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
