Sunday, May 1, 2011

Estoy hasta el tope y apenas es lunes

This is one of those expressions you'll find yourself using a lot.  At least, if you're like me you will.  

Before we get started, there are a few interesting words you may not be familar with, so let's talk about those before we cover the entire phrase.

Let's start with topeTope can be translated as "the upper limit", "to the top" or maybe "to the rim".    So you can say something like:

Llene el vaso hasta el tope
Fill the glass to the rim

Apenas, at least in this context means barely. 

Apenas te conozco
I barely know you

"Hasta el" or "hasta la", can generally be translated as "until".

Camina hasta la esquina y dobla a la derecha
Walk until you get to the corner and turn right

¿Cuanto tiempo te vas a quedar? Hasta el lunes
How long are you going to stay?  Until Monday

Now we're ready to look at our phrase.

You may have already put some of this together, but let's talk about it anyway.

When you say "Estoy hasta el tope", you're literally saying your filled to rim.  Clearly this makes no sense.  But figuratively it means "I'm fed up". 

Estoy hasta el tope con el trabajo
I'm fed up with my job

Interestingly enough, if you change "con" to "de", the meaning changes rather drastically.

Estoy hasta el tope de trabajo
I've got a ton of work

Consider that one a bonus.  Let's get back to the task at hand.

"Hasta el tope" is just one option.  Here's another one.

Estoy harto de mi trabajo
I'm fed up with my job

Estoy harto de tí
I'm fed up with you

Or simply...

Estoy harta
I'm fed up

Notice I used "harta" this time.  Ladies you'll want to use "harta".

That's it. Pan comido, ¿verdad?


¡Hasta la próxima!

2 comments:

  1. I'm laughing right now because at least in the state of Hildalgo where I was over the winter holidays, tope is a speed bump. Driving through the countryside and small towns almost requires a neck brace because they are randomly placed where ever people want you to slow down. Sometimes there is a sing , but usually that particular tope has been moved. It really takes two people to drive at night - one behind the wheel and the other spotting topes. If I had known this expression I could have yelled, ¡Etoy harta el tope de los topes!

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