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do pé para a mão
fazendo um chinfrim do caraças
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other
Feb 17, 2014 18:49
10 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Portuguese term

não temos mãos a medir

Portuguese to English Art/Literary General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters Fiction Novel
Context:

Há Alturas em que chega pouca gente e ficamos às moscas. E outra há, como acaba de suceder, em que aparecem dezenas de pessoas ao mesmo tempo e não temos mãos a medir.

A clerk talking about the availability of rooms in a guest house.

Obrigada,

Barbara
Proposed translations (English)
3 +4 we are (in) over our heads
4 +3 we have our hand full
3 +2 we end up being overwhelmed
3 +1 we're stretched to the limit

Discussion

Mario Freitas Mar 3, 2014:
É assim que se desmotiva. Why closed without grading?
Barbara Cochran, MFA (asker) Feb 18, 2014:
"We end up with more (people) than we can handle", is what I came up with.
Mario Freitas Feb 17, 2014:
Vichi! O negócio tá pegando fogo! Na verdade, as três opções ficariam corretas. Eu interpretei como "a quantidade de funcionários não será suficiente", mas talvez a opção do Douglas soe melhor no contexto.

Proposed translations

+2
5 mins

we end up being overwhelmed

Sugestão
Peer comment(s):
agree T o b i a s
49 mins
Obrigado, Tobias!
agree Paulinho Fonseca : Sem dúvida, esta é a opção.
1 hr
Obrigado, Paulinho!
Something went wrong...
+4
11 mins

we are (in) over our heads

Another possibility, but I didn't want to say my idea was better than Mario's... :-)
Peer comment(s):
agree Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
15 mins
thanks Teresa
agree Marlene Curtis
18 mins
thanks Marlene
agree Verginia Ophof
1 hr
Thanks Verginia
neutral Mario Freitas : Of course, not, pal. That's what this space is for. It's up to Barbara to chose the best choice according to her context. The more choices she has, the better for her.
3 hrs
fair play all round. Thanks
agree connie leite
4 hrs
Thanks Connie
Something went wrong...
+3
33 mins

we have our hand full

Another possibility.

have your hands full
to be so busy that you do not have time to do anything else:
I'd love to help but I've got my hands full organizing the school play.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 33 mins (2014-02-17 19:23:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

*handS
Reference:

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/have-your-hands-full

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/have+hands+full

Peer comment(s):
agree Elda Veiga
12 mins
Obrigada, Elda!
neutral Marlene Curtis : This idiom refers to a long-term situation. https://www.google.com/#q=She has her hands full with two ch...
37 mins
Thank your for bringing that to my attention, Marlene.
agree Muriel Vasconcellos : Actually, I think this is a very appropriate answer. I don't agree with Marlene.
1 hr
Thank you very much, Muriel :)
agree Geoffrey Chan : i like this interpretation.
10 hrs
Thank you, Geoffrey :)
Something went wrong...
+1
12 hrs

we're stretched to the limit

just another suggestion
Peer comment(s):
agree Filipa Plant dos Santos : I like this one!
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
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