…Where is my Saint?
¡Se me ha ido el Santo al cielo! (literal translation - My Saint has gone to heaven)
Real meaning: Used when you are off in another world, have forgotten something, or are feeling a little absent-minded.
Ejemplo 1:
My mother asked me to buy bread on the way from my house to hers. When I arrive at my mothers’ she asks me:
- ¿Dónde está el pan?
Then I realize that during the 10 minute walk I was thinking about the film that I had seen the previous evening and I completely forgot to buy the bread. So I answer:
- ¡Huy! ¡Se me ha ido el santo al cielo!
Ejemplo 2:
Ben is driving and I realize that he has missed an important turn off. So I say:
- ¡Ben!, ¡te acabas de pasar la salida que necesitabamos!
Ben was thinking about the next domain name that he is going to get and hadn’t seen the sign:
- ¡Perdon! ¡Se me ha ido el santo al cielo!
Thanks to Dave H. for today’s phrase. Do you have a favourite Spanish phrase or saying? Send it in!
January 10th, 2007 | Posted in: Learn Spanish Phrases | Comments: 6
Comments:
Comment from Tim
Time: January 10, 2007, 10:18 am
Most of these sayings are shortened when you hear them spoken (in the assumption that the listener knows what the rest of the saying is). It would be really handy if you could tell us what the shortened versions of these sayings are, so that we can start to recognise them when we hear them (and try to use them properly as well!).
Saludos
Comment from Marina
Time: January 10, 2007, 11:39 am
That is right Time, usually that happens with the “dichos” that are composed by two sentences. As you explained, in that case it is common to use only first sentence assumming that the other person will know the rest.
For example:
Cuando el río suena… (for “cuando el río suena, agua lleva”)
A quien madruga… (for “a quien madruga, Dios le ayuda”)
Comment from Pepino
Time: January 10, 2007, 12:15 pm
My Spanish friend who told me this phrase says it so fast that I barely think there’s much room for a shortened version! He somehow manages to pronounce the “se me ha ido” part almost in one syllable (to my ears at least). It’s incredible, and drives me insane! jeje
PD. Loved the reference to the Domain names. What a perfect example given that Ben’s addiction to Domains has had a few mentions in the Podcasts!
Comment from Marina
Time: January 11, 2007, 10:00 am
Thanks Pepino!
I always try to find examples as real as possible, but I have to say that the one about domain names and missing turnings is as real as life!!! JAJAJA
Comment from José Miguel
Time: January 22, 2007, 2:49 pm
La traducción de ¡se me ha ido el santo al cielo! es literalmente:
My Saint is gone to heaven!
con el sentido de:
My soul has gone to heaven!
Comment from Marina
Time: January 22, 2007, 2:56 pm
Tienes razón, heaven sería una traducción mas acertada en este caso. Ahora mismo lo corrijo.
Gracias,
Marina.
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