estoy con la soga en el cuello

Question

estoy con la soga en el cuello

que pesados - caramba, SEP 23, 2009

Answer 1

Well, boys, I'm confused! Caramba, you seem to have posted this comment "well maybe literally.. but 'taco' or streetwise it's equal to 'I'm in dire straits' " before either of Lzanoni, or Ricardo-Patio had posted their replies. I'm left to wonder, if you already knew the answer, why did you post the question??

As far as "Is the given expression "I have a rope around my neck" a metaphor for:

"I'm in dire straits", or

"I am in danger" , or

"we are in serious problems",

yes, I agree that those are potentially things that we might mean. The same is true in English, when we say "There's a rope around my neck" we are referring to some duress or undue influence that is pressing upon us. Unless you are literally being a hanged man, "There's a rope around my neck" is definitely a metaphor.

Je Je...I did not even notice that he answered he own question. - Izanoni1, SEP 23, 2009

Answer 2

Exactly Izanoni, when we say: "Estoy con la soga al cuello", we mean to say that we are in serious problems

Thanks Ricardo...I always appreciate your input - Izanoni1, SEP 23, 2009

Answer 3

¡Hola!, Caramba:

It seems to mean:

"I have a rope around my neck."

well maybe literally.. but 'taco' or streetwise it's equal to 'I'm in dire straits' - caramba, SEP 23, 2009

Thanks Caramba...that's exactly what I was wondering. I must have been posting my question while you writing your comment. - Izanoni1, SEP 23, 2009

Answer 4

estoy con la soga en el cuello

Primero no es en el sino al cuello.

Segundo, si sabes la respuesta ¿para qué preguntas?

que pesados - caramba

Tercero: ¡¡Pues mira quién fue a hablar!!

Answer 5

There are, of course many ways to express the idea in English (and, probably, in Spanish, as well e.g. "estoy en la mirda"). As for "streetwise", I doubt that the Spanish phrase is especially informal (I'm sure that I've come across it several times in reading) and is most definitely not colloquial in English. "dire straits" to most "streetwise" speakers would be either meaningless or (if they were old enough) be taken as the name of a rock group (from the 60's / 70's). A (reasonably) current "streetwise expression in English would be "up sht's creek".

Not significant to your main point, but Dire straits was active circa the late 70s and into the 80s and 90s - Izanoni1, SEP 23, 2009

Answer 6

I might as well have a gun to my head.

I think that this one implies that a person doesn't have much of a choice in what they are doing; whereas having a rope (or noose) around your neck implies that you are in a tight spot, jam, dire predicament etc..

Answer 7

Hi Moe

I have a rope around my neck

This is what I thought, but I wonder...could this be used figuratively (as in English) to mean, "I am in danger?"

I might as well have a gun to my head.

Answer 8

Hi Moe

I have a rope around my neck

This is what I thought, but I wonder...could this be used figuratively (as in English) to mean, "I am in danger?"