nah-DAR ee ah-oh-GAR-seh en la oh-REE-yah
Literally, this means 'to swim and drown on the shore'.
It means to fail right at the end after putting in a huge amount of effort.
Estudié todo el semestre, pero me puse nervioso y no fui al examen final. Fue como nadar y ahogarse en la orilla.
B2I studied the whole semester, but I got nervous and didn't go to the final exam. It was like falling at the final hurdle.
El equipo jugó un partido increíble, pero les marcaron un gol en el último minuto. ¡Se ahogaron en la orilla!
B2The team played an incredible game, but a goal was scored against them in the last minute. They snatched defeat from the jaws of victory!
This idiom comes from a powerful and ironic visual. Imagine someone swimming across a huge, dangerous ocean or river, overcoming all the challenges, only to drown in the shallow water right at the shore where they should be safe. The phrase captures the immense frustration and tragedy of failing when the hardest part is over and the goal is just inches away.
Use this idiom to express frustration when a huge effort results in failure right at the end. It's perfect for projects, competitions, or any long-term goal that was almost achieved.
You can also use it to encourage someone not to give up. For example: 'Ya casi terminas, ¡no te vayas a ahogar en la orilla!' (You're almost done, don't give up at the last minute!).
Mistake: “Using the phrase to describe a problem that happens at the beginning of a task.”
Correction: This idiom is only for failures that happen at the very end of a process. For starting problems, you might say something like 'empezar con el pie izquierdo' (to start on the wrong foot).
Extremely common and universally understood.
Widely used and understood across most countries. It's a standard, recognizable expression.
Question 1 of 1
Your friend ran a marathon but stopped 10 meters from the finish line. Which idiom best describes this situation?
Want to sound more natural when using this idiom? Practice your Spanish pronunciation with our collection of tongue twisters.
Browse Spanish Tongue Twisters →Idioms make sense in context. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see idioms used naturally by characters — and build the ear native speakers have.
Yes, this idiom is exclusively negative. It always describes a frustrating and often ironic failure. It's used to lament a situation, not to celebrate anything.
