Do people actually say "así así"?

Question

I was just noticing that this is one of the first things taught in Spanish and that I don't think that I've ever actually heard a Spanish speaker say it. It's translated as "so so" in English which is, by the way, not something that I, personally, would ever say.

I'd say "oh, I'm alright" with a shrug of the shoulders. Or "I've been better." or, maybe, "Not great." In Spanish, I've heard "Pues, bien" with a shrug of the shoulders. "No muy bien", "Más o menos.", "Dos tres"

Do you say "Así así" and, if so, what country are you from?

Good question. Cool answers. - webdunce, MAR 18, 2010

Excellent question! - Goyo, MAR 18, 2010

Answer 1

It's not that common alba, but anybody would understand it in Argentina...

Ex. - Hola, ¿cómo estás? - Así, así

In fact "so,so" in Argentina would be "más o menos"

más o menos for Spain too :) - Zizoun, MAR 13, 2010

Más o menos en Colombia también. - h1deaway, MAR 18, 2010

im from argentina, and ive NEVER heard asi asi, and that makes NO sense to me. - Cap9898, SEP 3, 2017

Answer 2

In Mexico we never say "así, así" but "más o menos" and "dos,dos" or "dos,tres" is slang. Also "ahí pasándola".

Answer 3

Más o menos

Regular... o Ando medio regular

No tan mal

Ni mal, ni bien

Podría estar/ser mejor (use ser for you, estar for the situation)

Podría ser/estar peor

Podría estar mejor, podría estar peor

Bien / Estoy muy bien

OK - Todo OK

No tan mal

Y... ahí andamos

Tirando (Tirando para no aflojar --- is very much heard!!)

Y... así, así... más o menos

Para que vaya peor...

No me quejo

Thank you!!! :) - Valerie, MAR 18, 2010

Answer 4

I can't speak for así, así, but I certainly say so-so. Although "fair to middlin" is another of my favorites.

• so-so
• fair to middlin'
• oh, not too bad
• Not too bad, not too good.
• could be better
• could be worse
• could be better, could be worse
• I'm alright / I'm doin' alright. (Frequently shortened nowadays to simply "a'ight")
• I'm OK / I'm doin' OK
• Not too shabby
• It's goin' / It goes (Only used if the question was "How's it goin'?")
• ho-hum
• I'm makin' it
• Comme Ci, Comme Ça...wait, no, that's French.

Good one webdunce - ian-hill, MAR 18, 2010

Hey, you forgot hangin' in there. - h1deaway, MAR 18, 2010

Answer 5

I have heard it in Mexico, but not a lot. "Más o menos" is more common as well as "Por allí voy."

Answer 6

• Meh
• shrug *
• same old....
• can't complain...

"No me puedo quejar" in Spanish :) - Benz, MAR 18, 2010

Cool! :) - galsally, MAR 19, 2010

Answer 7

In Spain we definitely say así así.

Answer 8

I've never heard anyone in Mexico say "así así", and I myself don't use it. Actually, I'm not sure if people would understand it, I wouldn't if not for this site I think .

Answer 9

Like in French-"comme ci comme ca. or in Sicily "Anzi che no" with a wiggle of a flat hand , meaning not like this or that.

Answer 10

Alba is so right- I learned "así así" in the first 3 weeks of Spanish 1 in 9th grade. It was while we were still learning "¿Cómo esta usted?"

Answer 11

so-so -- fair to middlin' -- oh, not too bad -- Not too bad, not too good. -- could be better -- could be worse -- could be better, could be worse -- I'm alright / I'm doin' alright. (Frequently shortened nowadays to simply "a'ight") -- I'm OK / I'm doin' OK -- Not too shabby -- It's goin' / It goes (Only used if the question was "How's it goin'?") -- ho-hum -- I'm makin' it -- Comme Ci, Comme Ça...wait, no, that's French.

Wow, cool! Can anyone come up with this many equivalents in Spanish? This would be really useful as an alternative to the tires old " Bien, gracias" when someone asks how I'm doing,,,,

p.s. Why in the world did the carriage returns disappear when I quoted webdunces' entry??? - Valerie, MAR 18, 2010