Home
Q&A
An Interesting Colloquialism: "Ya estuvo."

An Interesting Colloquialism: "Ya estuvo."

10
votes

I just learned an interesting colloquialism from my wife's mother. "Ya estuvo." She uses it to mean fine, that's it, it's not worth talking about anymore dismissively. I don't know if it is limited to Mexican Spanish or is more universal. Maybe everyone else already knows it. I had just never heard it before.

26360 views
updated ENE 13, 2012
posted by ocbizlaw
To your "Like una suegra" below to ChamacoMalo, lol :D! But cherish her while you have her! - Jubilado, ENE 13, 2012
Si, yo sé y la quiero. Pero tenemos las diferencias culturales que a veces chocan! - ocbizlaw, ENE 13, 2012

14 Answers

5
votes

We have something similar in Argentina. We say "ya fue".

updated ENE 13, 2012
posted by 00e657d4
Ya fue is good because it falls somewhere...Guillermo, I never could understandy why ya tubo just grates on my nerves. - ChamacoMalo, SEP 28, 2009
Maybe it's susposed to...which is why they use it. I heard it on Cops once...just like nails on a blackboard for me. - ChamacoMalo, SEP 28, 2009
4
votes

I hope this isn't too stupid but what do you mean when you say "it falls somewhere"?

updated ENE 13, 2012
posted by ocbizlaw
Good - I'd like to know too. - ian-hill, SEP 28, 2009
Make that three ... - territurtle, ENE 13, 2012
3
votes

No, its very Mexican. It's like if you are in a fight or whatever and you want it to stop. You give up. Ya estuvo. I don't now if it's good spanish or not (not my type of thing to make that kind of judgement) but it falls to my ears harsh. I'd never use it. It's just rough, kinda ewwww! sounding. wink

updated ENE 13, 2012
posted by ChamacoMalo
Just like una suegra! - ocbizlaw, SEP 28, 2009
2
votes

I see this post is somewhat old. But often times when you "punch" things into google explanations appear [from sites like this] and it's helpful to add to what one has heard.

I was in Oaxaca de Juarez in México la semana pasada and one of the teachers told me that in their region, "YA ESTUVO" is also used as a greeting.

So, you would say to a person... [the example I was given] Ya estuvo? ... are you finished with your day... are done with work... everything done for the day? and the response could be, in fact, "Si, ya estuvo," yes... it's done (my work, my job, whatever it is that I needed to finish).

I am not a native speaker, but again a teacher in Oaxaca told me this is how it colloquially functions in this part of México.

Ya wink

updated ENE 13, 2012
posted by Duke-Taylor
2
votes

In Spain (elsewhere?), it's common to say "ya está", basically meaning "that's it (enough)". Pretty similar.

e.g. Solo quiero que me ayudes a mover el sillón, y ya está.

or.. No voy a discutirlo! Ya está!

updated ENE 13, 2012
posted by mateo2
Buenos ejemplos. ¡Gracias! - territurtle, ENE 13, 2012
2
votes

"Yea whatever" has a translation, it's "que sea." That's why that ya estuvo thing is ewww sounding...it doesn't fall anywhere...wink

updated ENE 13, 2012
posted by ChamacoMalo
I believe that should be "lo que sea" - rodneyp, JUL 29, 2011
2
votes

It sounds like a good English translation would be "yeah, whatever" as an argumentative dismissive. :D

Glad to know it, gracias!

updated ENE 13, 2012
posted by miloszdom
2
votes

I'm from Spain and I'd never heard that before

updated ENE 13, 2012
posted by cris86
1
vote

It's just a speech thing, for something to "fall" somewhere. Eso me cae bien. I like that. Esa cae gordo. I don't like that. Ya estuvo, how it's used, doesn't fall anywhere. It just doesn't, not for me. I can't expain it, it's an internal thing. To me, it's like "ewwww....where did you learn that trash from?" and it's just not my form to say bad things about how people use spanish. But in this case? ewwwwww.....wink

updated ENE 13, 2012
edited by ChamacoMalo
posted by ChamacoMalo
1
vote

It depends as you can you use it in different situations.contexts:

¡Ya estuvo!

(It is) Done. (I completed something, and I say it, or I answer to someone)

I am done! (enough!) I am going to punch you or something,

Ok, that's enough arguing...

updated OCT 17, 2009
posted by chileno
1
vote

It actually can be traslate as.....it is done,or enough (if you are having an argument or someone is acting up-misbehaving-)...................................... ¿Todavia estas trabajando en la tarea?................Are you still working on the homework?........................................... No, ya estubo............No it is done.......................................

updated OCT 17, 2009
posted by 00769608
0
votes

In Spain (elsewhere?), it's common to say "ya está", basically meaning "that's it (enough)".

What I came across is "ya está" - "that's it (done/ready/finished)". Not argumentative in this case...

updated OCT 17, 2009
posted by Behemoth
0
votes

For those who would know these things....Is this similar to "demalas"?

(and in case some are wondering...no, I'm not misconstruing "dema las" or "de malas" grin)

updated SEP 28, 2009
edited by arnold3
posted by arnold3
Si ya se, tu repuesta esta abjao. ;-) - ChamacoMalo, SEP 28, 2009
0
votes

De malas is something you use to say what it says. Esa me cae gordo porque es de malas. It's from a bad thing, and only bad can come from bad. He was going to fix my car, but I didn't trust him, he's de malas. He 's from bad training. He's from a horrible school. wink

updated SEP 28, 2009
posted by ChamacoMalo
SpanishDict is the world's most popular Spanish-English dictionary, translation, and learning website.