Phrase · 🧩 Idioms in everyday speech
No tires la toalla ahora, que ya casi terminas la tesis.
Don't throw in the towel now, you've almost finished your thesis.
C2encouraginginformalAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
No2adverbdon'ttires1verbthrowtirar · subjunctive · present · 2nd sing.la1determinertheel · fem. · sing. · definitetoalla1nountowelfem. · sing.ahoraadverbnow,queconjunctionbecauseya3adverbalreadycasi3adverbalmostterminas3verbyou finishterminar · present · 2nd sing.ladeterminertheel · fem. · sing. · definitetesisnounthesisfem. · sing..
- tires → toalla: tirar la toalla: give up
- No → tires: no + subjunctive: negative imperative
- ya → terminas: ya casi + present: nearly there
Word for word: “Don't throw the towel now, for you almost finish the thesis already.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1tirar la toalla = to throw in the towel, to give up.
- 2Negative tú imperative = present subjunctive: no tires (affirmative tira). Negative imperative and imperative with pronouns →
- 3ya casi + present = you are nearly done: ya casi terminas.
Variations
- No tires la toalla ahora, que ya te falta poco para terminar la tesis.
- No te rindas ahora, que ya casi terminas la tesis.
- No arrojes la toalla ahora, que ya casi acabas la tesis.