Vas a terminarla antes mis ojos

Question

You're going to kill her right before my eyes? They said "antes mis ojos" in a similar manner in a TV show, is it right? Also, is directamente the best word for just here? Vas a terminarla directamente antes mis ojos. Or would it be "antes de mis ojos" or does it just not work like this? Gracias.

Answer 1

Well, the correct expression, in any event, would have to be "ante mis ojos" or (preferably) "delante de mis ojos". "Terminarla" sounds a bit weird to me. In my regional speech I'd say: "¿Vas a matarla delante de mis ojos?" or better yet, "¿Vas a matarla frente a mi?"

Terminarla or acabarla to me have an implication of "finishing off". The poor woman is already half-dead, and this is just the last act to finish the job.

that makes sense. - jeezzle, Sep 7, 2010

Answer 2

This is likely to be regional, but my default interpretation is to think of that person eating (=terminating) another one, ie. cannibalism. That is an spectacle I don't want to see before my eyes, but I'm sure that is not what you meant anyway.

But having said all that, I suddenly realise that the context (ie. the beginning of the conversation) could easily turn that sentence into something more down to Earth. Context makes a huge difference. Even in English you can go from "interesting" to "I want to kill you" with the same words just by changing the context.

Please, provide a context.

Answer 3

¿Vas a matarla delante de mí/frente a mí? "Ante mis ojos" is not very common... Some people use "en mi cara", "en mis narices", like expressions, refering to this. But, like lazarus1907 said, we need context...