IdiomDaily Life
Portuguese
Portuguesecair em saco roto
Meaning: Words or advice that fail to reach their intended audience; to be ignored or dismissed.
Literally: To fall into a torn sack
Example: “Os avisos do médico caíram em saco roto.” — The doctor's warnings fell on deaf ears.
English equivalent: To fall on deaf ears
Other ways to say this
German: in den Wind sprechen Literally: To speak into the wind- Portuguese: falar com as paredes Literally: To speak with the walls
Dutch: voor dovemansoren Literally: For deaf men's ears
English: fall on deaf ears
Origin: Whatever is poured into a torn sack runs straight out again, so words or advice that fall into one are lost and have no effect. The Infopédia dictionary records the usual negative form, não cair em saco roto, "not to go unheeded." No first use is documented.
More Portuguese idioms
- matar cachorro a grito To be extremely poor or destitute.
- na ponta da língua Known by heart and ready to say; also, almost but not quite remembered.
- fazer uma tempestade num copo de água To make an excessive fuss over something trivial.
- dar um tiro no pé To harm oneself through one's own actions; to undermine one's own interests.
- Matar dois coelhos com uma cajadada só To get two benefits from a single effort.
- Diz o roto ao nu: porque não te vestes tu? Said when someone criticizes another for a fault they share.
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