Ask a Question

(Create a thread)
Go Back   Spanish language learning forums > Spanish & English Languages > Vocabulary > Idioms & Sayings
Register Help/FAQ Community Calendar Today's Posts Search

To be a good sport

 

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.


Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1
Old July 09, 2010, 12:02 PM
hermit hermit is offline
Emerald
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: scotsburn, nova scotia
Posts: 617
Native Language: english
hermit is on a distinguished road
To be a good sport

In Spanish?

In English it's "to be fun to be with". Like someone good-natured, entertaining, with a good sense of humor (humour), always ready
for a good time.

Cassell's gives "ser muy majo"; does that convey the above as well?
__________________
"Be brief, for no discourse can please when too long."
miguel de cervantes saavedra
Reply With Quote
   
Get rid of these ads by registering for a free Tomísimo account.
  #2
Old July 09, 2010, 12:23 PM
CrOtALiTo's Avatar
CrOtALiTo CrOtALiTo is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Mérida, Yucatán
Posts: 11,686
Native Language: I can understand Spanish and English
CrOtALiTo is on a distinguished road
Send a message via Yahoo to CrOtALiTo
I think what it could be an good entertainment for the TV public.
__________________
We are building the most important dare for my life and my family feature now we are installing new services in telecoms.
Reply With Quote
  #3
Old July 09, 2010, 12:32 PM
hermit hermit is offline
Emerald
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: scotsburn, nova scotia
Posts: 617
Native Language: english
hermit is on a distinguished road
Yes, good TV entertainers are most likely "good sports" as well...

¿Cómo se describen en Méjico además de "majo"?
__________________
"Be brief, for no discourse can please when too long."
miguel de cervantes saavedra

Last edited by hermit; July 09, 2010 at 12:54 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #4
Old July 09, 2010, 02:25 PM
JPablo's Avatar
JPablo JPablo is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,579
Native Language: Spanish (Castilian, peninsular)
JPablo is on a distinguished road
(person): to be a good sport (to be sporting) tener espíritu deportivo; (to be understanding) ser comprensivo; come on, be a sport and lend it to us (colloq) anda, sé bueno y préstanoslo, andá, sé pierna y prestánoslo (Río de la Plata)
(as form of address) (Australian colloq) amigo, -ga

to be a (good) sport -> ser un(a) tío(a) grande (español de España), ser buena gente (Am)
to be a bad sport -> ser mal perdedor(bad loser), tener mal perder (español de España)

I think in Mexico they say "la sabe llevar bien" /"la lleva bien".

More generally,

Es un buen tipo, es campechano, divertido, sabe pasar un buen rato a pesar de todo...

I guess it will depend on the context, but the above are few valid options.
__________________
Lo propio de la verdad es que se basta a sí misma, aquel que la posee no intenta convencer a nadie.
"An enemy is somebody who flatters you. A friend is somebody who criticizes the living daylights out of you."
Reply With Quote
  #5
Old July 09, 2010, 04:01 PM
Tomisimo's Avatar
Tomisimo Tomisimo is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: North America
Posts: 5,691
Native Language: American English
Tomisimo will become famous soon enoughTomisimo will become famous soon enough
to be a good sport = ser buena onda / ser buena gente
__________________
If you find something wrong with my Spanish, please correct it!
Reply With Quote
  #6
Old July 09, 2010, 04:59 PM
AngelicaDeAlquezar's Avatar
AngelicaDeAlquezar AngelicaDeAlquezar is offline
Obsidiana
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 9,128
Native Language: Mexican Spanish
AngelicaDeAlquezar is on a distinguished road
@Hermit: I think you know, but we wouldn't say "majo" in Mexico, and not everyone would understand what it means.


Quote:
Originally Posted by JPablo View Post
I think in Mexico they say "la sabe llevar bien" /"la lleva bien".
I'm afraid not.

We'd use Tomisimo's expressions or:

- se lleva bien con todos/todo el mundo/la gente
- a todos les cae bien / le cae bien a todos
- es (muy) simpático/lindo/amable/divertido/agradable
- tiene buen carácter
- tiene don de gente(s) (although this one might be only understood by elders)
.
.
.
__________________
Ain't it wonderful to be alive when the Rock'n'Roll plays...
Reply With Quote
  #7
Old July 09, 2010, 06:45 PM
JPablo's Avatar
JPablo JPablo is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,579
Native Language: Spanish (Castilian, peninsular)
JPablo is on a distinguished road
@Angelica: Ah, thank you.
Yet, I heard Mexicans saying, "ahí la lleva" as in "the person is doing fine", right?
Is that just some isolated Mexicans, or is it more generalized?
__________________
Lo propio de la verdad es que se basta a sí misma, aquel que la posee no intenta convencer a nadie.
"An enemy is somebody who flatters you. A friend is somebody who criticizes the living daylights out of you."
Reply With Quote
  #8
Old July 09, 2010, 09:44 PM
Tomisimo's Avatar
Tomisimo Tomisimo is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: North America
Posts: 5,691
Native Language: American English
Tomisimo will become famous soon enoughTomisimo will become famous soon enough
Quote:
Originally Posted by JPablo View Post
@Angelica: Ah, thank you.
Yet, I heard Mexicans saying, "ahí la lleva" as in "the person is doing fine", right?
Is that just some isolated Mexicans, or is it more generalized?
I'm not Angélica, but I'd say that's a pretty common expression, and probably understood in most of the country.

ahí la lleva = he's doing fine/ok, he's getting along ok, he's doing alright, he's getting by fine, or even he's coping (pretty well).
__________________
If you find something wrong with my Spanish, please correct it!
Reply With Quote
  #9
Old July 09, 2010, 09:47 PM
JPablo's Avatar
JPablo JPablo is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,579
Native Language: Spanish (Castilian, peninsular)
JPablo is on a distinguished road
Thank you.
__________________
Lo propio de la verdad es que se basta a sí misma, aquel que la posee no intenta convencer a nadie.
"An enemy is somebody who flatters you. A friend is somebody who criticizes the living daylights out of you."
Reply With Quote
  #10
Old July 09, 2010, 09:52 PM
Tomisimo's Avatar
Tomisimo Tomisimo is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: North America
Posts: 5,691
Native Language: American English
Tomisimo will become famous soon enoughTomisimo will become famous soon enough
We'll see if she agrees with me or not.
__________________
If you find something wrong with my Spanish, please correct it!
Reply With Quote
  #11
Old July 09, 2010, 10:46 PM
Elaina's Avatar
Elaina Elaina is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Midwest
Posts: 2,565
Native Language: English
Elaina will become famous soon enough
I would say....

- es buena onda

Not to seem dumb or anything but i've never heard of majo or any of the other suggestions given except for a few from Tomísimo and Angélica.

As for ahí la lleva I wouldn't say it means being a good sport.

My
__________________
Elaina
All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them. Walt Disney
Reply With Quote
  #12
Old July 10, 2010, 09:41 AM
AngelicaDeAlquezar's Avatar
AngelicaDeAlquezar AngelicaDeAlquezar is offline
Obsidiana
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 9,128
Native Language: Mexican Spanish
AngelicaDeAlquezar is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomisimo View Post
We'll see if she agrees with me or not.
I do.


That expression is used to talk about someone who is finding a path to cope with things. Depending on the context and the tone of voice, "llevarla ahí" can be an optimistic expression, or some sort of resignation.

Después de la muerte de mi abuela, creímos que el abuelo se iba a enfermar, pero ahí la lleva. (pronounced rather "a'i la lleva")
After grandmother's death, we thought grandfather would fall sick, but he's doing alright.

Mi hija tenía problemas con su esposo, pero después de la terapia de pareja, ahí la llevan.
My daughter had problems with her husband, but after the marriage counselling, they're mostly getting along.

No voy a decir que mi negocio está muy bien, pero ahí la llevamos. Al menos no hemos cerrado.
I'm not going to say my shop is doing very well, but we're doing mostly alright. At least we haven't closed it down.

Creí que no iba a poder con la dieta, pero ahí la llevo. Ya bajé 5 kilos.
I thought I wouldn't be able to keep up with the diet, but I'm doing well. I've already lost 5 kilos.
(Depending on the tone of voice, "ahí la llevo" here can suggest I expected I'd lose weight faster, but I'm losing it anyway, or that I'm happily surprised that I'm actually doing the effort of following the diet.)
__________________
Ain't it wonderful to be alive when the Rock'n'Roll plays...
Reply With Quote
  #13
Old July 10, 2010, 10:21 AM
ROBINDESBOIS's Avatar
ROBINDESBOIS ROBINDESBOIS is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,040
ROBINDESBOIS is on a distinguished road
Send a message via MSN to ROBINDESBOIS
Ser majo, ser buena gente, both are widely used in SPAIN. Can you say in English he 's good people, or just they're are good people, and he's a good person !
Reply With Quote
  #14
Old July 10, 2010, 10:26 AM
hermit hermit is offline
Emerald
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: scotsburn, nova scotia
Posts: 617
Native Language: english
hermit is on a distinguished road
Hi Robin, Yes, "He's good people" is a common colloquial expression in
NAmE...
__________________
"Be brief, for no discourse can please when too long."
miguel de cervantes saavedra
Reply With Quote
  #15
Old July 10, 2010, 10:40 AM
Tomisimo's Avatar
Tomisimo Tomisimo is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: North America
Posts: 5,691
Native Language: American English
Tomisimo will become famous soon enoughTomisimo will become famous soon enough
Quote:
Originally Posted by hermit View Post
Hi Robin, Yes, "He's good people" is a common colloquial expression in
NAmE...
I'm from the West Coast and I've never really heard that nor would I say it, so perhaps it's somewhat regional?
__________________
If you find something wrong with my Spanish, please correct it!
Reply With Quote
  #16
Old July 10, 2010, 10:44 AM
Rusty's Avatar
Rusty Rusty is online now
Señor Speedy
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 11,402
Native Language: American English
Rusty has a spectacular aura aboutRusty has a spectacular aura about
I've heard it used in the states just east of David's, so maybe they just don't say it where David's from.
Reply With Quote
  #17
Old July 10, 2010, 11:14 AM
hermit hermit is offline
Emerald
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: scotsburn, nova scotia
Posts: 617
Native Language: english
hermit is on a distinguished road
I had some Army buddies from San Diego, Ca, and they used "He's good
people" routinely...
__________________
"Be brief, for no discourse can please when too long."
miguel de cervantes saavedra
Reply With Quote
  #18
Old July 12, 2010, 01:04 PM
CrOtALiTo's Avatar
CrOtALiTo CrOtALiTo is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Mérida, Yucatán
Posts: 11,686
Native Language: I can understand Spanish and English
CrOtALiTo is on a distinguished road
Send a message via Yahoo to CrOtALiTo
What does Army buddies mean?
I don't understand that phrase, and I have made a searched in the internet and also in the online dictionaries and I didn't find any answer.
__________________
We are building the most important dare for my life and my family feature now we are installing new services in telecoms.
Reply With Quote
  #19
Old July 12, 2010, 01:34 PM
pjt33's Avatar
pjt33 pjt33 is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Valencia, España
Posts: 2,600
Native Language: Inglés (en-gb)
pjt33 is on a distinguished road
Amigos del ejército.
Reply With Quote
  #20
Old July 12, 2010, 01:50 PM
Tarential's Avatar
Tarential Tarential is offline
Ruby
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 95
Native Language: English
Tarential is on a distinguished road
Though not entirely common I have certainly heard "he's good people." I am of the opinion that it is meant to expand into "he is of good people" but that is just an opinion, largely baseless.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
ahí la lleva, buena gente, buena onda, good sport

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Is this a good way? FrannyCakes Teaching and Learning Techniques 14 November 25, 2009 02:00 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:37 AM.

Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions Inc.

X