Phrase · 🌸 Euphemism and tact
Tu primo no es lo que se dice puntual.
Your cousin isn't exactly what you'd call punctual.
C2understatement (criticism)informalAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Tudetermineryour2nd sing.primonouncousinmasc. · sing.no1adverbnotesverbisser · present · 3rd sing.lo1determinerwhat (lit. the)el · definiteque1pronoun(that)se2pronoun(one)3rddice2verbsaysdecir · present · 3rd sing.puntualadjectivepunctualsing..
- lo → dice: lo que se dice: what you would call
- se → dice: impersonal se
- puntual → primo: puntual describes primo
Word for word: “Your cousin isn't what one calls punctual.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1no es lo que se dice + adjective = he isn't exactly…, not what you'd call…: understatement implying the opposite. Advanced emphatic and exclamative structures →
- 2Impersonal se dice = one says, people say. Impersonal and passive se; reciprocal se →
Variations
- Tu primo no es precisamente puntual.
- Tu primo no es muy puntual que digamos.
- Tu primo es un poco impuntual.