IdiomThe Absurd
Spanish
SpanishNo hay tu tía
Meaning: There's no way around it; nothing can be done.
Literally: There is no your aunt
Example: “Le pedimos otra prórroga, pero no hay tu tía.” — We asked for another extension, but nothing doing.
English equivalent: Nothing doing
Origin: There is no aunt in it. The original was no hay atutía: atutía (from Arabic) was a zinc-oxide ointment sold by apothecaries, above all for eye complaints, and "there is no atutía" meant there was no remedy left. As the word fell out of use, atutía was split into tu tía (your aunt), and the RAE now records the correct form as no haber tutía.
Equivalents in other languages
English: nothing doing
More Spanish idioms
- Estar de Rodríguez To be a husband left working in town while the family is on holiday.
- Quedarse de piedra To be stunned speechless.
- Ser uña y carne To be inseparable; the closest of friends.
- Dar gato por liebre To swindle by passing off something inferior as the real thing.
- Importar un pepino To not care in the slightest.
- Ponerse las pilas To get your act together and start working hard.
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- Quien espera, desespera Waiting anxiously makes time drag and wears you down.
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