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Ni agua ni

 

An idiom is an expression whose meaning is not readily apparent based on the individual words in the expression. This forum is dedicated to discussing idioms and other sayings.


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  #1  
Old March 25, 2010, 07:15 AM
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Ni agua ni

Context: ni agua ni compraría ese producto.
I think it means absolutely no one.

Is this a common term?
Is it used in Latin America?
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  #2  
Old March 25, 2010, 07:25 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by poli View Post
Context: ni agua ni compraría ese producto.
I think it means absolutely no one.

Is this a common term?
Is it used in Latin America?
I have never heard that phrase. If I had to guess its meaning, I'd say it means "Not even with my eyes closed (or whatever comes to your mind) would buy that product"
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Old March 25, 2010, 08:49 AM
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Here, the saying is "al enemigo ni agua" "to the enemy (you must give) not even water".
So when I heard "ni agua" means " nothing for that person"
but the sentence "ni agua ni compraría ese producto." does not mean anything for me.
perhaps it a short form of "I give you nothing, and I will not buy your product"

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Old March 25, 2010, 09:46 AM
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Without more context, the sentence doesn't mean anything to me either. "Agua" and "ese producto" are too heterogeneous to be linked with "ni".

If the situation is that you've been offered to buy either water or "that product" or both, but you don't want any, for whatever the reason, maybe the expression would be: "No compraría ni el agua ni ese producto".

To say "I would definitely not buy that product", one can say: "Ni hablar (similar sound to agua maybe). No compraría ese producto".
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Old March 25, 2010, 01:42 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar View Post
Without more context, the sentence doesn't mean anything to me either. "Agua" and "ese producto" are too heterogeneous to be linked with "ni".

If the situation is that you've been offered to buy either water or "that product" or both, but you don't want any, for whatever the reason, maybe the expression would be: "No compraría ni el agua ni ese producto".

To say "I would definitely not buy that product", one can say: "Ni hablar (similar sound to agua maybe). No compraría ese producto".
A lo chileno se diría "nica compraría ese producto" ;-)
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