Sin+infinitive

Question

I just came across this sentence:

Cuando llegamos a casa, está todo sin hacer.

Now I'm familiar with sin+inf meaning without +ing - sin pagar without paying etc but this seems a bit different.

Is this some kind of passive construction meaning perhaps just undone? When we arrive home nothing's done?

Or is it as Jeezle has suggested an idiomatic use of estar+todo+sin+hacer?

Answer 1

Yes, it is a common construcion.

Estoy sin comer = I haven't eaten...

Estoy sin bañar = I'm smelly... (I haven't taken a bath)

sweet, thanx Chileno - so you'd translate my sentence as - nothing done? - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 11, 2011

construcTion ;) - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 11, 2011

Correct, like himself12794 suggested it too. :) - chileno, Dec 11, 2011

Answer 2

Well sin hacer nada would be without doing anything, and ya éstá todo would be "everything is already done" (which is short for ya éstá todo hecho) so .......

to me the question seems like what is "está todo sin hacer" mean as a whole phrase.

yes that makes sense, but you haven't come across that kind of phrase at all? - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 10, 2011

jeezzle is correct too. :) - chileno, Dec 11, 2011

Answer 3

I'm guessing if you translated meaning it would be something like "When we get home there is nothing to do." I could be completely wrong but that is my guesstimate. Or it could mean when we got home home all was undone. Maybe implies the house was a mess, or nothing had been done.

Thanks Himself - I don't think your first suggestion works but I agree that it's likely something along the lines of your second one - I'm just wondering if this is a common construction :) - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 10, 2011