hueles a pescado
/weles a peskado/from spelling rules
The phrase "you smell fishy" is translated into Spanish as hueles a pescado.
This phrase is used to tell someone that their body or clothes have the actual scent of fish.
Which one should you use?
Unlike the English idiom 'you smell fishy' (meaning suspicious), the Spanish phrase hueles a pescado refers only to the literal physical scent of fish.
Did you know?
- The word pescado can be used as an adjective to describe a person who is perceived as being slow or dim-witted in some regional dialects.
- The word pescado refers specifically to fish that has been caught, whereas the word pez is used for the living animal swimming in the water.
- The Latin root piscātus which forms pescado is also the ancestor of the English word 'piscatorial', used to describe things related to fishing.
Examples in context
- Hueles a pescado después de trabajar en el mercado.You smell like fish after working at the market.
- ¿Por qué hueles a pescado hoy?Why do you smell like fish today?
- Hueles a pescado, deberías cambiarte de ropa.You smell like fish, you should change your clothes.
Example conversation
Javier and María are in their kitchen after preparing a seafood lunch.
- JavierMaría, hueles a pescado.María, you smell like fish.
- MaríaEs por la cena que preparé.It is because of the dinner I prepared.
- JavierSí, el aroma es muy fuerte.Yes, the scent is very strong.
- MaríaVoy a lavarme las manos ahora.I am going to wash my hands now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, pescado, CC BY-SA 4.0.
