How to Say ‘Doing nothing for five hours’ in Mexican Spanish
De brazos cruzados cinco horas
deh ˈbrah-zos kroo-ˈtha-dos ˈseeng-ko o-ˈras
[deh ˈbrah-zos kroo-ˈtha-dos ˈseeng-ko o-ˈras]
💬 Usage Tip: The idiom 'de brazos cruzados' literally means 'with crossed arms', showing inactivity.
🇲🇽 In Mexico: Such expressions emphasize passive waiting, a pivotal decision point.
Phrase Breakdown
De
[deh]
With
Used to express possession or accompaniment.
De acuerdo.
Agreed.
brazos
[ˈbrah-zos]
arms
The upper limbs of the human body.
Usamos los brazos para saludar.
We use our arms to greet.
cruzados
[kroo-ˈtha-dos]
crossed
Placed one over the other.
Estamos con los brazos cruzados.
We are with arms crossed.
cinco
[ˈseeng-ko]
five
The number after four.
Cinco días son una semana productiva.
Five days make a productive week.
horas
[o-ˈras]
hours
Units of time equal to 60 minutes.
Tardó dos horas.
It took two hours.
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