Inklingo

How to Say "a drag" in Spanish

English → Spanish

chapa

CHAH-pahˈtʃapa

nounB2informal
Use 'chapa' when referring to a person who is boring or a long, tedious speech that is tiresome.
A person looking extremely tired and bored while listening to someone talk.

Examples

Mi profesor es una chapa, siempre da discursos interminables.

My professor is a drag, he always gives endless speeches.

Mi jefe me dio una chapa de dos horas sobre el presupuesto.

My boss gave me a two-hour earful about the budget.

¡Qué chapa de película! Me quedé dormido.

What a boring movie! I fell asleep.

No me des la chapa con tus problemas ahora.

Don't bore me with your problems right now.

The verb 'Dar'

This meaning is almost always used with the verb 'dar' (to give).

Literal Translation

Mistake: “Thinking someone is giving you a piece of metal.”

Correction: If someone says 'No me des la chapa,' they want you to stop talking, not stop handing them objects.

hueso

WAY-sohˈwe.so

nounB2informal
Use 'hueso' to describe a task or situation that is difficult, boring, and tedious to get through.
An illustration of a small, frustrated person straining intensely to push a gigantic, rough gray stone block, symbolizing a difficult task.

Examples

Terminar este informe va a ser un hueso, me está costando mucho concentrarme.

Finishing this report is going to be a drag, it's taking me a lot of effort to concentrate.

Esta clase de matemáticas es un hueso, no entiendo nada.

This math class is a real drag/tough, I don't understand anything.

Mi jefe es un hueso, siempre pone problemas.

My boss is a difficult person; he always causes problems.

Person vs. Task

The most common mistake is using 'chapa' for a boring task. Remember, 'chapa' specifically refers to a boring person or their speech, while 'hueso' is for a difficult or tedious activity.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.