Phrase · 😏 Irony and understatement
Digamos que la cocina no es lo suyo.
Let's just say cooking isn't his thing.
C2understatement (criticism)informalAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Digamos1verblet's saydecir · subjunctive · present · 1st pl.queconjunctionthatladeterminertheel · fem. · sing. · definitecocina3nouncookingfem. · sing.noadverbnotesverbisser · present · 3rd sing.lo2determiner(the thing)el · definitesuyo2pronounhis3rd sing..
- Digamos → que: digamos que: softener
- lo → suyo: lo suyo: his thing
- cocina → es: la cocina: subject of es
Word for word: “Let's say that the cooking isn't the his.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1Digamos que… = let's just say…: the 1st plural subjunctive softens a negative judgement and hints more than it says. Negative imperative and imperative with pronouns →
- 2lo suyo = his or her thing, strong point. No es lo mío = it's not my thing. Possessive pronouns and stressed possessives →
- 3la cocina = cooking as well as the kitchen.
Variations
- Digamos que cocinar no es su fuerte.
- La cocina no es precisamente lo suyo.
- Digamos que no nació para la cocina.