To be put through the mill

[poli]

Is there a similar phrase in Spanish.
Significa forsado hacer cosas muy dificil para lograr algo. ¿ Se puede decir pasarlas canutas?

[aleCcowaN]

Examples:

"-What kind of skill does it take for a pilot to make a landing like this? -Remarkable skill. However, I have to tell you that the training that airline pilots go through is extremely thorough. These are people who really have gone through the mill, you might say. We don't have any junior pilots flying around in airliners today, because of a lot of things."

here: superado todo tipo de prueba | pasado la criba

"Like most women her age, Julia has been through the mill with men -- betrayed, ignored, lied to, taken advantage of, double-crossed, and stuck with the check. The reason is, Julia says, that men used to be the only job there was."

here: las ha pasado moradas | las ha sufrido todas

"Earlier this month, the Sun-Times asked readers to send in their best love stories in which ordinary couples face extraordinary challenges and overcome them to live happily ever after. Buffalo Grove residents Randy and Bridget Gollay are that couple. They've been through the mill and survived to tell their tale."

here: vérselas negras

[Elaina]

There is a comment that I've heard people make ....
For example....

"Se las ha visto duras pero sigue adelante con sus estudios."

Talking about someone having had a hard time accomplishing something but continues with it....
Is that similar to what you are saying? Have you ever heard this?

[poli]

Originally Posted by aleCcowaN

Examples:

"-What kind of skill does it take for a pilot to make a landing like this? -Remarkable skill. However, I have to tell you that the training that airline pilots go through is extremely thorough. XThese are people who really have gone through the millX instead say: these people are really put through the mill, you might say. We don't have any junior pilots flying around in airliners today, because of a lot of things."

here: superado todo tipo de prueba | pasado la criba

"Like most women her age, Julia has been through the mill with men -- betrayed, ignored, lied to, taken advantage of, double-crossed, and stuck with the check. The reason is, Julia says, that men used to be the only job there was."

here: las ha pasado moradas | las ha sufrido todas

"Earlier this month, the Sun-Times asked readers to send in their best love stories in which ordinary couples face extraordinary challenges and overcome them to live happily ever after. Buffalo Grove residents Randy and Bridget Gollay are that couple. They've been through the mill and survived to tell their tale."

here: vérselas negras

Thanks for the examples

[JPablo]

Agree with the above. In Spain, "pasarlas canutas" is a valid expression.

"To put somebody through the mill" can also be said as "hacerle sudar la gota gorda a alguien" / "someter a alguien a duras pruebas"

And
"To go through the mill" = "vérselas negras" "pasarlas duras"

[aleCcowaN]

I didn't know "pasarlas canutas". I only found examples from Spain. It looks to me pretty much like the more general "pasar las de Caín"

[JPablo]

Yes, it is probably mainly a Spain usage.



DRAE gives this,

canutas.
pasarlas ~.
1. loc. verb. coloq. Verse en situación muy apurada.
Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados


pasar las de ~ [Caín].
1. loc. verb. coloq. Sufrir grandes apuros y contratiempos.


Moliner says,
canutas Pasarlas canutas (inf.). Pasarlo muy mal. Pasarlas moradas.
Pasar las de Caín (inf.). Sufrir grandes disgustos y penalidades.



(I checked CREA and the 36 cases for "canutas" are exclusively from Spain.)