https://www.proz.com/kudoz/spanish-to-english/general-conversation-greetings-letters/6712775-c%C3%B3mo-se-las-gasta-con-el-cintur%C3%B3n.html&phpv_redirected=1

cómo se las gasta con el cinturón

English translation: you know what he is like once/ when he has a belt in his hands

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:cómo se las gasta con el cinturón
English translation:you know what he is like once/ when he has a belt in his hands
Entered by: Barbara Cochran, MFA

18:34 Sep 27, 2019
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / Romance Novel
Spanish term or phrase: cómo se las gasta con el cinturón
Contexto (a nasty mother who is ordering her daughter to go downstairs and clean everything up before their doors are open for business):

"Baja enseguida, si no lo haces, hablaré con tu padre y ya sabes cómo se las gasta con el cinturón cuando se enfada."

I imagine it means something like how viciously he uses his belt against his children when they don't behave.

Gracias,

Barbara
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 10:54
you know what he is like once/ when he has a belt in his hands
Explanation:
Just a sugestion
Selected response from:

bcsantos
Gibraltar
Local time: 15:54
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3[you know] what his belt feels like [when he gets angry]
Muriel Vasconcellos
4 +2you know what he is like once/ when he has a belt in his hands
bcsantos
4you know how he takes it out on you with his belt
Enrique Soria
3and you know what he does with his belt when he gets angry
Gareth Rhys-Jones López
3 -2how he badly uses his belt to punish
Juan Arturo Blackmore Zerón


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


46 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
[you know] what his belt feels like [when he gets angry]


Explanation:
I think that's the idea.

Muriel Vasconcellos
United States
Local time: 07:54
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 199

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Toni Castano
7 mins
  -> Thank you, Toni!

agree  Marie Wilson
1 hr
  -> Thank you, Marie!

agree  AllegroTrans
4 hrs
  -> Thank you!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

52 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -2
how he badly uses his belt to punish


Explanation:
Yes. Your idea is right.

...how he badly uses his belt to hit/to punish.

Juan Arturo Blackmore Zerón
Mexico
Local time: 09:54
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  AllegroTrans: "he badly uses" just does not sound right
4 hrs

disagree  Carol Gullidge: Sorry, but this is not English :(
11 hrs

disagree  Juan Jacob: Es al contrario: usa muy bien el cinturón.
18 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
you know what he is like once/ when he has a belt in his hands


Explanation:
Just a sugestion

bcsantos
Gibraltar
Local time: 15:54
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 96

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Carol Gullidge
11 hrs
  -> Thanks.

agree  YESHWANT UMRALKAR
19 hrs
  -> Thanks!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
you know how he takes it out on you with his belt


Explanation:
another option

Enrique Soria
Mexico
Local time: 08:54
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
and you know what he does with his belt when he gets angry


Explanation:
La expresión cómo se las gasta es complicada de traducir. Ya sabes cómo se las gasta=ya sabes lo que suele hacer (en el mal sentido). «Yo no confiaría en él. Ya sabes cómo se las gasta». Aquí, evidentemente, ese gastárselas con el cinturón lo dice porque, habitualmente, les pegará y mucho con él cuando se enfada. Pero no debería perderse ese sentido de «son sus prácticas habituales».

Gareth Rhys-Jones López
Spain
Local time: 15:54
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also: