I find several meanings for "en bola" ... but not yet a recognized translation that fits my sentence perfectly

Question

I am hearing to Arturo Pérez-Reverte's "novela" Un asunto de honor . In one sentence I hear the expression "en bola", which I looked for in several dictionaries and found several translations and many uses of "bola" in idiomatic expressions. I am pretty sure that I understand the sentence, but would like to know what a proper translation for "en bola" could be.

Here I have transcribed the sentence:

Por lo demás, el día de autos yo había cumplido tres meses de libertad y aquel del Volvo era mi primer curro desde que estaba en bola.

Incidentally, a peninsular Spanish "modismo" dar la bola means to be released (from jail)

So my thought is to read this as "since I was released", or "since being released".

Answer 1

En Argentina, estar en bola means that you have nothing, you are poor. Not having a stable job. Get it?

• Voto! - Agora Jan 22, 2011

Answer 2

Estar en bolas

Este modismo coloquial equivale a estar desnudo. Algunos autores creen que puede provenir de la palabra bola, que en germanía significaba mercado público o feria. De ser esto cierto, la expresión estar en bola habría significado originalmente exponerse desnudo públicamente, como exhibiéndose en una feria.

En la actualidad, las bolas hacen una alusión eufemística a los testículos, como sucede con el modismo estar en pelotas. De este último hay que decir que las pelotas a las que hace referencia no son los testículos, sino que proviene de la antigua voz pelota, aumentativo de pelo. En consecuencia, hace referencia exclusivamente al vello corporal.

Answer 3

Estoy de acuerdo con Cabeza 215.

Opino que en la citada novela de Pérez-Reverte, el personaje narra su historia utilizando jerga:

"... y aquel del Volvo era mi primer curro (mi primer trabajo) desde que estaba en bola (desde que estaba sin un centavo)."

Answer 4

Gracias, Jack-Obrien. Ha escrito "Este modismo coloquial equivale a estar desnudo". Y de hecho....-- he encontrado ese modismo también como el sexto entrada para bola en mi Collins Spanish Dictionary.

6 bolas⁂ (= testículos) balls ⁂

• MODISMO: en bolas** (= desnudo) naked

tíos en bolas -->naked men

en esta cala está permitido ponerse en bolas --> bolas they allow nude bathing on this beach

tras el incendio nos quedamos en bolas --> the fire completely cleaned us out *

Pero no me suena bueno para el significado -- en el contexto -- de la oración.

Answer 5

That meaning for "estar en bola" does fit, Cabeza_215, and corresponds to the example given in my Collins: "tras el incendio nos quedamos en bolas the fire completely cleaned us out". I will assume that meaning is current in Spain, too, since the author is Spanish.

Answer 6

Yes, Agora, the protagonist introduces himself this way:

Permitan que me presente, Manolo Jarales Campos, veintisiete años, la mili en regulares de Ceuta y año y media de talego por dejarmi liar, bajando al moro y subir con lo que no debía. De servir a la patria me queda un diente desportillado que me partió un sargento de una hostia y del Porto de Santa Maria el tabique desviado y dos tatuajes, uno en el brazo derecho, con un corazón y la palabra “Trocito” y otro en el izquierde que pone: “Nací para haserte sufrir”. La “s” de haserte se la debo a mi tronco Paco Seisdedos,que cuando el tatuaje estaba con un colocón tremendo, y claro.

I had a bit of trouble with that last sentence, too. (Note, I am trying to transcribe and be sure to understand what I am listening to - and even though Spanish is (more or less) pronounced just as written, I find it difficult.)

The last sentence in this introduction seems to have a clause introduced with "que" (Paco Seisdedos, que cuando...etc..) that is missing a verb. The author has Manolo say "y claro" ...but it isn't always for me

• Janice: I think the phrase is difficult to understand. "Que cuando el tatuaje" would mean in this case: "That at the time the tatoo was done..." - Agora Jan 22, 2011
• "estaba con un colocón tremendo" ( he - Paco Siesdedos- was tremendously high or stoned). - Agora Jan 22, 2011
• "... y, claro." This last expression, has no sense to me. Could it be a mistake of the editor ? I do not know. - Agora Jan 22, 2011
• Might it mean that the tatoo had clarity? It is the olny explanation I can find. - Agora Jan 22, 2011

Answer 7

Thank you, Angora, for taking the time to have a look at and comment on the sentence that I found so difficult to "get past" (as we express it in English)

I do not think the bit "Y claro" is a mistake of the editor -- although because I am listening to the audio* , it well could have been my (often) mistaken hearing.

However, I found "las primeras paginas" on a website associated with Perez-Reverte and downloaded the .pdf for the first chapter: El puticlub del Portugués.

In that text, I found what I was hearing to be correct:

...y otro en el izquierdo que pone: Nací para haserte sufrir. La s del haserte se la debo a mi tronco Paco Seisdedos, que cuando el tatuaje estaba con un colocón tremendo, y claro. Por lo demás, el día de autos yo había cumplido tres meses de libertad y aquel del Volvo era mi primer curro desde que estaba en bola.

I think instead that this introduction is a kind of "stream of consciousness" expressed by the protagonist and the reader must fill in a bit - just as we probably are always doing when we converse with each other and leave out much that is understood ...How often do I myself say "oh, you know what I mean!"

And of course I was playing a bit with the words when I wrote that "No, for me, the sense is not always 'claro' - Well, this particular "book" in the series is marked "B1" and I am probably still at the "A1" level....

But it is fun to work it all out and possible with help from people such as yourself and the others here in the forum.

Thanks again,

*from a series of graded audio and written texts with accompanying CD-ROM program produced in Munich primarily, but certainly not exclusively, for German speakers learning Spanish and available ***(along with a similar series in Italian, by the way!! )*** from www.digitalpublishing.de. Here is a sample offering in Italian (I noted in your profile that you are learning Italian.)

• Thank you for that ! :-) - Agora Jan 23, 2011

Answer 8

I don't find "y claro" weird at all, we say that all the time in Spain.

La “s” de haserte se la debo a mi tronco Paco Seisdedos,que cuando el tatuaje estaba con un colocón tremendo, y claro.

The s in haserte (should be hacerte)...I owe that to my friend paco, who when the tattoo was done, he was stoned...so, you know what I mean( so that is the reason why, so that is it...)

• Thank you, Heidita, you confirm my understanding...and oh how I first struggled... - Janice Jan 23, 2011