pattern

Fracaso - Despilfarro

Explora modismos en inglés relacionados con el despilfarro, incluyendo "ladrar a la luna" y "ir y venir".

Revisión

Tarjetas de memoria

Cuestionario

Empezar a aprender
English idioms related to Failure
to [cry] over spilled milk

to feel upset or regretful about something that has already happened and cannot be undone

lamentarse tarde, llorar lo pasado

lamentarse tarde, llorar lo pasado

Ex: Stop crying over spilled milk; the deadline has passed. 
to [cast|throw] pearls before swine

to do good things and waste valuable resources for ungrateful people

dar margaritas a los cerdos, malgastar lo bueno

dar margaritas a los cerdos, malgastar lo bueno

Ex: Helping him again would just be casting pearls before swine. 
to [break] even

(of a business) to reach a point that yields no success due to the profit being almost as equal as the costs

quedar en tablas, cubrir gastos

quedar en tablas, cubrir gastos

Ex: The café finally broke even after six months. 
to [chase] {one's} (own|) tail

to try hard yet achieve very little or nothing at all

dar vueltas en círculo, esforzarse en vano

dar vueltas en círculo, esforzarse en vano

Ex: I've been chasing my tail all morning and still haven't finished the report. 
to [save] {one's} breath

to avoid wasting one's time and energy by not trying to persuade or convince someone who is unlikely to change their opinion or behavior

ahorrarse las palabras, no gastar saliva

ahorrarse las palabras, no gastar saliva

Ex: Save your breath; he won't listen. 
to [close|shut|lock] the (stable|barn) door after the horse (has bolted|is stolen)

to try to prevent something bad from happening after it has already happened

cerrar tarde la puerta, actuar demasiado tarde

cerrar tarde la puerta, actuar demasiado tarde

Ex: Installing cameras after the robbery was like shutting the barn door after the horse had bolted. 
square one
square one
[Sustantivo]

the point or situation from which one starts to do something

volver al inicio, volver al punto de partida

volver al inicio, volver al punto de partida

Ex: After the computer crashed, we were back to square one. 
back to the drawing board

used when one has to return to the beginning of a process and redo the process after one's effort has failed

volver a empezar, empezar desde cero

volver a empezar, empezar desde cero

Ex: The prototype failed, so it's back to the drawing board. 
from pillar to post

from one place or situation to another without a clear purpose or direction, often in a chaotic or haphazard manner

de un lado a otro, sin rumbo claro

de un lado a otro, sin rumbo claro

Ex: The poor customer was sent from pillar to post before anyone helped him. 
to [paint|gild] the lily

to unnecessarily adorn or decorate something that is already beautiful or perfect

adornar de más, recargar lo perfecto

adornar de más, recargar lo perfecto

Ex: Adding more flowers to that dress would be painting the lily. 
to [face|come to|hit] (a|the) (brick|) wall

to reach a point where it is unlikely or too difficult to make any progress

llegar a un punto muerto, quedarse atascado

llegar a un punto muerto, quedarse atascado

Ex: The research team hit a wall after months of testing. 
to [bark] at the moon

to take part in a protest that has no chance of reaching success

protestar en vano, luchar sin esperanza

protestar en vano, luchar sin esperanza

Ex: Protesting that decision now is just barking at the moon. 
to [bark] up the wrong tree

to make a wrong decision about how to achieve or deal with something

ir por mal camino, equivocarse de objetivo

ir por mal camino, equivocarse de objetivo

Ex: If you think I caused the delay, you're barking up the wrong tree. 
to [beat] a dead horse

to waste energy on a lost cause

insistir en vano, darle vueltas a algo perdido

insistir en vano, darle vueltas a algo perdido

Ex: Trying to reopen the case now is just beating a dead horse. 
to [bring] sand to the beach

to do something that is considered to be redundant or useless

hacer algo inútil, llevar agua al mar

hacer algo inútil, llevar agua al mar

Ex: Adding more chairs to that empty hall is like bringing sand to the beach. 
to [come|go|turn] full circle

to go through a series of efforts or actions only to end up back where one started, highlighting the lack of progress or meaningful change

volver al punto de partida, acabar donde se empezó

volver al punto de partida, acabar donde se empezó

Ex: After months of changes, the project came full circle and returned to the original plan. 
toing and froing

the act of repeatedly talking or thinking about something without reaching a clear conclusion

idas y vueltas, darle vueltas

idas y vueltas, darle vueltas

Ex: After hours of toing and froing, they still hadn't made a decision. 
like nailing Jell-O to the wall

used to refer to a task that is s very difficult or impossible to do

casi imposible, imposible de agarrar

casi imposible, imposible de agarrar

Ex: Getting a clear answer from him is like nailing Jell-O to the wall. 
like pouring water (in|into) a sieve

used when someone is doing something that is pointless or ineffective

esfuerzo inútil, trabajo en vano

esfuerzo inútil, trabajo en vano

Ex: Explaining the rules to him is like pouring water into a sieve. 
like talking to a (brick|) wall

used to describe a frustrating or unproductive conversation with someone who is unresponsive or uninterested

hablarle a la pared, hablar en vano

hablarle a la pared, hablar en vano

Ex: Trying to explain the problem to him was like talking to a brick wall. 
(the cake|the game|) [is] not worth the candle

the outcome or reward of a task is not worth the effort or resources required to achieve it

no vale la pena, no compensar el esfuerzo

no vale la pena, no compensar el esfuerzo

Ex: Fixing that old printer is not worth the candle. 
to [tread] water

to fail to make any progress in a job or task

no avanzar, estar estancado

no avanzar, estar estancado

Ex: We've been treading water on this project for months. 
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