AHS-meh el PAH-roh
Literally, it translates to 'Do me the stop,' which doesn't make much sense.
In reality, it's a very common way to say 'Help me out' or 'Do me a favor'.
¡Hazme el paro! Olvidé mi cartera y no puedo pagar el café.
B1Help me out! I forgot my wallet and can't pay for the coffee.
Voy a llegar tarde. ¿Me haces el paro y le dices al jefe que tuve un problema con el coche?
B1I'm going to be late. Can you cover for me and tell the boss I had car trouble?
Le hice el paro a mi vecino y cuidé a su perro el fin de semana.
B2I did my neighbor a favor and watched his dog over the weekend.
The exact origin is a bit fuzzy, but the most popular idea is that 'paro' here doesn't mean 'stop' or 'unemployment'. Instead, it comes from the verb 'parar' in its sense of 'to prop up' or 'to support'. When you ask someone 'hazme el paro', you're essentially asking them to be your support, to prop you up in a difficult moment, or to stop a bad situation from getting worse for you.
This is the classic, everyday way to ask for a favor among friends, family, and colleagues in Mexico. It's much more common and casual than the more textbook phrase 'hazme un favor'.
This phrase often has a sense of immediacy. You're not asking someone to help you move next month; you're asking for a small bit of help right now, like covering you for lunch or lending you a pen.
실수: “Thinking 'paro' always means unemployment, which is its primary meaning in Spain.”
수정: In Mexico and in this specific phrase, 'paro' means 'favor' or 'help'. The context of asking for something makes it clear. If you use this in Spain, people will be very confused!
실수: “Asking your new boss, an elderly stranger, or a university professor, '¿Me hace el paro?'”
수정: This is strictly informal. In formal situations, it's better to stick with '¿Podría hacerme un favor?' (Could you do me a favor?) or '¿Podría ayudarme?' (Could you help me?).
이 관용구의 문법을 이해하고 싶으신가요? 심층 학습을 위해 이 강의들을 살펴보세요:
Extremely common. This is a hallmark of informal Mexican Spanish and is used and understood by everyone.
Not used. This phrase will cause confusion, as 'paro' almost exclusively means 'unemployment'. They would use 'hazme un favor'.
Its usage varies. It might be understood in some Central American countries due to proximity to Mexico, but it's not a standard phrase in South America. Phrases like 'haceme la gauchada' (Argentina) or simply 'hazme un favor' are more common elsewhere.
1개 중 1번째 문제
If your Mexican friend says 'Hazme el paro con la cuenta', what are they asking?
이 관용구를 더 자연스럽게 사용하고 싶으신가요? 저희의 텅 트위스터 모음으로 스페인어 발음을 연습해 보세요.
스페인어 텅 트위스터 찾아보기 →관용구는 맥락 속에서 의미가 통합니다. 200개 이상의 삽화가 포함되고 음성이 지원되는 스페인어 이야기를 읽고 등장인물들이 관용구를 자연스럽게 사용하는 것을 보고 원어민과 같은 귀를 길러보세요.
Yes, absolutely! It works like a regular verb phrase. You can say 'Le hice el paro a mi hermano' (I did my brother a favor) or 'Ellos siempre nos hacen el paro' (They always help us out).
Not at all, as long as it's used in an informal context with people you know. It's a friendly, casual expression. Using it with a stranger might be seen as overly familiar, but not necessarily rude.
