como quien

hablé con mi abogado, quien me dio la razón — I spoke to my solicitor, who said I was right

él es quien se ocupa de estos asuntos — he is the one who deals with these things

el Ayuntamiento será quien se haga cargo de eso — it'll be the Council that take care of that

un libro muy interesante para quien sepa poco del tema — a very interesting book for anyone who knows little about the subject

quienes no estén de acuerdo que se vayan — anyone who doesn't agree can leave

"a quien corresponda" — "to whom it may concern"

yo hablo con quien quiero — I'll speak to who I like

la tierra es para quien la trabaja — the land belongs to he who works it

lo dijo como quien anuncia una gran noticia — he said it like someone announcing some really important news

no hay quien lo aguante — no one can stand him

¡no hay quien te entienda! — there's no understanding you!

quien más, quien menos —

quien más, quien menos tiene un amigo que ha estudiado en el extranjero — most of us have a friend who has studied abroad

quien más, quien menos, todos hemos tenido miedo a la oscuridad de pequeños — all of us, to some extent, have been afraid of the dark as children

nací en Navarra, a un paso, como quien dice, de Francia — I was born in Navarre, just a stone's throw from France, so to speak

como quien no quiere la cosa —

se acercó, como quien no quiere la cosa, a enterarse de lo que decíamos — he casually moved closer to us to find out what we were saying

como quien oye llover —

estuve una hora intentando convencerlo, y él, como quien oye llover — I spent an hour trying to persuade him but it was like water off a duck's back

no ser quien —

él no es quién para decirme lo que tengo que hacer — it's not for him to tell me what to do

tú no eres quien para decirme si tengo que llegar a casa antes de las diez — it's not for you to tell me whether I should come home before ten

es a él a quien debemos agradecérselo — he's the one (who) we must thank

la chica con quien salía — the girl (who) I was going out with

sus padres, para quienes esto había sido un duro golpe,... — her parents, for whom this had been a severe blow,...

quienes hayan terminado pueden irse — those who have finished may go

quien lo haya encontrado — the person who found it

quien se lo haya dicho — whoever told him

no encontré quien me lo pudiera explicar — I didn't find anybody who could explain it to me

no ser quien: no soy quien para opinar al respecto I'm not the (right) person to comment on this matter; tú no eres quien para juzgarme — you're nobody to judge me

es a él a quien debemos agradecérselo — he's the one (who) we must thank

la chica con quien salía — the girl (who) I was going out with

sus padres, para quienes esto había sido un duro golpe,... — her parents, for whom this had been a severe blow,...

quienes hayan terminado pueden irse — those who have finished may go

quien lo haya encontrado — the person who found it

quien se lo haya dicho — whoever told him

no encontré quien me lo pudiera explicar — I didn't find anybody who could explain it to me

no ser quien: no soy quien para opinar al respecto I'm not the (right) person to comment on this matter; tú no eres quien para juzgarme — you're nobody to judge me

tienen un perro como el nuestro — they've got a dog like ours

se portó como un imbécil — he behaved like an idiot

es como un pez — it's like a fish

sabe como a queso — it tastes a bit like cheese

blanco como la nieve — as white as snow

tuvo resultados como no se habían conocido antes — it had results such as had never been known before

hay peces, como truchas y salmones — there are fish, such as trout and salmon

lo hice como me habían enseñado — I did it as I had been taught

prefiero como lo haces tú — I prefer it the way you do it

la manera como sucedió — the way (in which) it happened

fue así como comenzó — that was how it began

lo levanté como pude — I lifted it as best I could

hazlo como puedas — do your best, do the best you can

tratan de mantenerse en el poder como sea — they will do whatever it takes to stay in power

está decidido a salvar como sea la vida del niño — he's determined to do whatever it takes to save the child's life

sea como sea — in any case

hay que evitar que nos eliminen sea como sea — we must avoid getting knocked out at all costs

lo usé como cuchara — I used it as a spoon

asistió como espectador — he attended as a spectator

lo dice como juez — he says it speaking as a judge

vale más como poeta — he is better as a poet

libre como estaba — free as he was

como dice mi profesor — as my teacher says

como se ve en el gráfico — as you can see from the diagram

tal como están los precios de las motos... — with motorbike prices as they are at the moment...

así como nos vio lanzó un grito — as soon as he saw us he shouted

verás como les ganamos — we'll beat them, you'll see

ya verás como no vienen — I bet they won't come

de tanto como odio a los dos, no sé a quien odio más — I hate them both so much, I don't know which I hate the most

como vengas tarde, no comes — if you're late you'll get nothing to eat

como sea cierto, ¡estamos perdidos! — if it's true, we're done for!

¡como lo pierdas! — you'd better not lose it!, don't you lose it!

no salimos, como no sea para ir al cine — we only go out if it's to go to the cinema, we don't go out unless it's to go to the cinema

• como que — as if

¡como que yo soy tonto y me creo esas mentiras! — as if I was stupid enough to believe lies like that!

¡como que te van a pagar! — don't tell me they're going to pay you!

hizo como que no nos veía — he pretended not to see us

al tragar nota como que le molesta — he shows discomfort when swallowing

• como si — as if, as though

• como para, ¡es como para denunciarlos! — it's enough to make you want to report them to the police!

tampoco es como para enfadarse tanto — there's no need to get so angry about it

quiero hablarte como amigo — I want to speak to you as a friend

el director tendrá como funciones... — the director's duties will be...

está considerado como lo mejor — he's considered (to be) the best

se la conoce como `flor de luz' — it's known as `flor de luz'

uno como el tuyo — one like yours

pienso como tú — I agree with you

fue ella, como que me llamo Beatriz — it was her, as sure as my name's Beatriz

me trata como a un imbécil — he treats me like an idiot

no hay nada como un buen coñac! — there's nothing like a good brandy!

como para + inf: es como para echarse a llorar it's enough to make you want to cry; fue como para pegarle — I could have hit him

tal como había prometido — just as he had promised

como era de esperar — as was to be expected

como dice el refrán — as the saying goes

no me gustó como lo dijo — I didn't like the way she said it

(tal y) como están las cosas — as things stand; (+ subj)

hazlo como quieras/como puedas — do it any way you like/as best as you can

como quiera que sea — no matter what

la buganvilla, o como quiera que se llame — bougainvillea or whatever it's called

como te pille... — if I catch you...

vimos como se los llevaban — we saw them being taken away

vas a ver como llega tarde — he'll be late, you'll see

está como a cincuenta kilómetros — it's about fifty kilometers away

un sabor como a almendras — a kind of almondy taste

me da como vergüenza... — I find it kind of embarrassing...

quiero hablarte como amigo — I want to speak to you as a friend

el director tendrá como funciones... — the director's duties will be...

está considerado como lo mejor — he's considered (to be) the best

se la conoce como `flor de luz' — it's known as `flor de luz'

uno como el tuyo — one like yours

pienso como tú — I agree with you

fue ella, como que me llamo Beatriz — it was her, as sure as my name's Beatriz

me trata como a un imbécil — he treats me like an idiot

no hay nada como un buen coñac! — there's nothing like a good brandy!

como para + inf: es como para echarse a llorar it's enough to make you want to cry; fue como para pegarle — I could have hit him

tal como había prometido — just as he had promised

como era de esperar — as was to be expected

como dice el refrán — as the saying goes

no me gustó como lo dijo — I didn't like the way she said it

(tal y) como están las cosas — as things stand; (+ subj)

hazlo como quieras/como puedas — do it any way you like/as best as you can

como quiera que sea — no matter what

la buganvilla, o como quiera que se llame — bougainvillea or whatever it's called

como te pille... — if I catch you...

vimos como se los llevaban — we saw them being taken away

vas a ver como llega tarde — he'll be late, you'll see

está como a cincuenta kilómetros — it's about fifty kilometers away

un sabor como a almendras — a kind of almondy taste

me da como vergüenza... — I find it kind of embarrassing...

ya sabe decir varias palabras — she can already say several words, she already knows several words

- tengo prisa -dijo — "I'm in a hurry," she said

olvídalo, no he dicho nada — forget I said anything

¿decía usted? — you were saying?

como decía mi abuela — as my grandmother used to say

como iba diciendo... — as I was saying...

¿cómo ha dicho usted? — pardon?, what did you say?

mi amigo dice que eres muy guapa — my friend says (that) you're very pretty

dicen que... — they say (that)..., people say (that)...

el cartel dice claramente que... — the sign says clearly {o} clearly states that...

decir que sí/no — to say yes/no

-¿viene? -dice que sí — "is she coming?" - "she says she is {o} she says so"

la miré y me dijo que sí/no con la cabeza — I looked at her and she nodded/shook her head

¿quién te lo dijo? — who told you?

se lo dije bien claro, pero no me hizo caso — I told her quite clearly, but she didn't take any notice of me

tengo algo que decirte — there's something I want to tell you, I've got something to tell you

hoy nos dicen las notas — they're telling {o} giving us our results today

me dijo que no vendría — he told me (that) he wouldn't come

ya te dije que no tiene ni idea — I told you he hasn't got a clue

¿no te digo que no puedo ir? — I've already told you I can't go

la profesora me dijo que esperara fuera — the teacher told me to wait outside

le dije que fuera más tarde — I told her to go later

dile que venga a cenar mañana con nosotros — ask him to come and have supper with us tomorrow

te digo que te calles — I said shut up

decir tonterías — to talk nonsense

¿cómo le dicen a esto en Perú? — what do they call this in Peru?

se llama Francisco, pero le dicen Paco — his name is Francisco, but he's known as Paco

le dicen "el torero" — he's known as "el torero"

en México se le dice "recámara" al dormitorio — in Mexico they say "recámara" instead of "dormitorio"

podemos ir a Portugal, ¿tú qué dices? — we could go to Portugal, what do you say?

¿tu familia qué dice de la boda? — what does your family say about the wedding?

había 8, digo 9 — there were 8, I mean 9

dirá usted aquel otro — you must mean that other one

¡qué digo! — what am I saying?

no puedo leer lo que dice — I can't read what it says

no me dice nada este libro — this book leaves me cold

mis súbditos se presentarán ante mí ¡he dicho! — my subjects shall appear before me: I have spoken!

aunque no es el director es, como quien dice, el que manda en la empresa — although he isn't the manager, he's the person in charge, so to speak, of the company

está, como quien dice, aquí al lado — it's just round the corner, as they say

como quien no dice nada — quite casually, as though it wasn't important

- gracias por todo -lo mismo digo — "thank you for everything" - "likewise!" {o} "thanks to you too!"

deberías buscar trabajo, vamos, digo yo — you ought to look for a job, that's what I say, if you ask me, you ought to look for a job

¡si te lo digo yo! — of course it's true!

¡lo digo yo y basta! — you will do it because I say so!

mi prima, es decir, la hija de Ana — my cousin, that is (to say) Ana's daughter

¿qué quiere decir "spatha"? — what does "spatha" mean?

¿qué quiere usted decir con eso? — what do you mean by that?

¿querrás decir un millón, no un billón? — do you mean a million rather than a billion?

les ha costado más cara que mi casa, y eso ya es decir — it cost them more than my house did, and that's saying something

no es que yo lo diga, pero... — it's not because I say so, but...

es, digamos, un comerciante — he's a dealer, for want of a better word, he's a sort of dealer

¡haberlo dicho!, ¡me lo hubieras dicho! — you could have told me {o} said!

y su madre, no digamos — not to mention his mother

no estuvo muy cortés, que digamos — he wasn't what you'd call polite, he wasn't exactly polite

¿cómo (lo) diría yo? — how shall I put it?

¿cómo diríamos? — how shall I put it?

¡quién lo diría! — would you believe it!, who would have thought it!

pero no quiso por el qué dirán — but she didn't want to because of what people might say

se preocupa mucho por el qué dirán — she's always worried about what people will say {o} think

-¿te puedo pedir un favor? -dime — "can I ask you a favour?" - "go ahead"

-¿te gustaría cambiar de coche? -¡hombre, ya me dirás! — "would you like a new car?" - "you bet I would!"

su nombre no me dice nada — her name doesn't mean anything to me

su mirada lo dice todo — her expression says it all {o} speaks volumes

una situación que tan mal dice de nuestro gobierno — a situation which shows our government in such a bad light

¿cientos de personas? - bueno, es un decir — hundreds of people? - well, figuratively speaking

ya dice `mamá' — he says `mama' now

no digas esas cosas, por favor — please don't say things like that

no digas estupideces — don't talk nonsense!

¿cómo pudiste decir eso? — how could you say that?

¿eso lo dices por mí? — are you referring to me?

no lo dirás en serio! — you can't be serious!

dijo que sí con la cabeza — he nodded

no se dice `andé', se dice `anduve' — it isn't `andé', it's `anduve'

eso no se dice! — you mustn't say that!

¿cómo se dice `amor' en ruso? — how do you say `love' in Russian?

bonita, lo que se dice bonita, no es — she's not what you would call pretty

es el sábado; ni que decir tiene que estás invitado — it's on Saturday; you're invited, but that goes without saying

haberlo dicho antes — why didn't you say so before?

¿tendrá tiempo de hacerlo? - dice que sí — will he have time to do it? - he says he will

¿no lo encontró? - dice que no — didn't he find it? - no, he says he didn't

digan lo que digan — whatever people say

decirle algo a alguien — to tell somebody something

eso no es lo que me dijo a mí — that's not what he told me

¿sabes qué me dijo? — do you know what he told me?; (expresando sorpresa, indignación, etc) do you know what he said to me?

se lo voy a decir a papá — I'm going to tell Dad

hoy nos dicen el resultado — they're going to give us the result today

Andrés me dijo lo de tu hermano — Andrés told me about your brother

a mí me lo vas a decir! — you're telling me!

ya te lo decía yo! — I told you so!

fue algo espantoso, todo lo que te diga es poco — it was terrible, I can't begin to tell you how terrible

no me digas que no es precioso! — isn't it beautiful?

dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres — you can judge a man by the company he keeps

porque lo digo yo! — because I say so!

harás lo que yo diga — you'll do as I say

papá dice que vayas — Dad wants you

dice que llames cuando llegues — she says (you are) to phone when you get there

dijo que tuviéramos cuidado — she said to be careful

decirle a alguien que + subj — to tell somebody to + inf

diles que empiecen — tell them to start

le dije que no lo hiciera — I told him not to do it

decir adiós — to say goodbye

decirle adiós a alguien — to say goodbye to somebody

di adiós a tu vida de estudiante — you'd better say goodbye to your student days

¿qué dice aquí? — what does it say here?

el diario no dice nada sobre el asunto — there's nothing in the paper about it

se llama Rosario pero le dicen Charo — her name is Rosario but people call her Charo

la forma de vestir dice mucho de una persona — the way someone dresses says a lot/tells you a lot about them

el tiempo lo dirá — time will tell

algo me decía que no iba a ser fácil — something told me it wasn't going to be easy

¿te dice algo ese nombre? — does that name mean anything to you?

decir misa — to say mass

querer decir — to mean

¿qué quiere decir esta palabra? — what does this word mean?

¿qué quieres decir con eso? — what do you mean by that?

¿quieres decir que ya no te interesa? — do you mean (to say) that you're no longer interested?

¿y los padres qué dicen? — what do her parents think of it?, how do her parents feel about it?

habría que regalarle algo, no sé, digo yo — we ought to buy her a present, well, I think so anyway

es muy fácil - si tú lo dices... — it's very easy - if you say so...

a decir verdad — to tell you the truth, to be honest

como quien dice — so to speak

papá - dime, hijo — dad - yes, son?

quería pedirle un favor - usted dirá — I wanted to ask you a favor - certainly, go ahead

se decían secretos al oído — they were whispering secrets to each other

se dijeron de todo — they called each other every name under the sun

yo sé lo que me digo — I know what I'm talking about

tú te lo dices todo — you seem to have all the answers