Fulano y Mengano

Question

Fulano, Mengano y Zutano are Spanish names that refer to one nonspecific person in Spanish. Everybody knows them, so if you speaks about Fulano any person realises that you are not talking about a real person in particular, but about any person in general.

I've been looking for a translation but I'm not too satisfied with the result.

The translator says something that seems to me very strange: so and so and so, and the phrasebook says, Every Tom, Dick and Harry.

I'm puzzled.

For example, if I want to say:

Mi prima me estuvo contando que Mengano se casó, que Fulano no fue a la boda... cosas de ese estilo.

My cousin was telling me that X got married, that Y didn't go to the wedding, this kind of things.

(I'm sorry if this sounds a bit ridiculous but, Is this correct? Would you, English speakers, understand this? Is there another way of saying this? )

My cousin was telling me that so and so got married, and so and so didn't go to the wedding.

or,

My cousin was telling me that (Every?) Tom got married, and Dick didn't go to the wedding.

Thanks a lot, in advance!

Great question! Had never heard of Fulano, Mengano y Zutano. Thanks for posting... - BailaBailaBaila, Apr 18, 2015

Answer 1

Laura, I just love your questions.

So and so would be the best response for what you are looking for. In your example, "every Tom, Dick and Harry" wouldn't work. So and so works perfectly.

The phrase "every Tom, Dick and Harry" means "everyone". It refers to an unnamed group of people.

So and so means an unnamed person. It is singular. It can also be used when you can't think of the person's name.

Examples:

Every Tom, Dick and Harry knows that taxes are too high.

Every Tom, Dick and Harry has already dated her.

I wanted to park closer, but so and so told me that I'd get a ticket if I did.

If so and so over there would get his act together, we'd be able to get out of here at a reasonable time.

It is really surprising to me that "so and so" can work. I could never have imagined that meaning. - cogumela, Oct 15, 2010

I also understand now the "every Tom, Dick and Harry" use. Fantastic explanation, Echo!! Thanks! - cogumela, Oct 15, 2010

Don't forget "so-and-so person", "what's-his-name", and "what's-his-face" ;) - Goldie_Miel, Oct 15, 2010

Answer 2

Tom, Dick and Harry

Like a generic name like "John Doe."

Answer 3

Echoline's explanation was excellent. I just want to add that the way you wrote it with X an Y, you would be understood although it would not be as common to say it that way. It would be even more interesting to say it like this:

My cousin was telling me that Mr. X got married and Miss Y did not go to the wedding.

Another way to call an unnamed person is John or Jane Doe, although this usually refers to an unidentified body, or an anonymous victim of a crime.

Along the same lines, a Dear John letter is not necessarily a letter written to John, but rather refers to a letter written to anyone for the purpose of breaking off a relationship, dumping a lover. Written to a woman, it could also be called a Dear Jane letter.

Gracias por presentarme a Fulano, Mengano y Zutano. Espero que les reúne de nuevo en la literatura o su utilización en mi escritura. ¿Es su uso común en todos los países de habla española o más que nada en España?

Funny! I just ran Fulano, Mengano y Zutano through a translator and it gave me: John Doe, Richard Roe and Zutano. I never heard that before, but it has a nice sound to it. (Dick is a nickname for Richard) No one would mistake them for real people, so you could use them.

Yes the use is very commun - Geryglez777, Apr 18, 2015

Answer 4

American: John Doe / Jane Doe

British: Jo(e) Bloggs

Scots: Jimmy (no real female equivalent)

Jimmy's hen? ;-) - Winkfish, Apr 18, 2015