# esa pájara



## yirgster

In this context does *pájara *mean something like _*bitch*_ in English? _*Esa pájara; *_*that bitch*.

After 15 months his girl friend suddenly and unexpectedly dumps him unceremoniously in front of her door, gives no explanation, shows not the slightest bit of remorse or empathy, and shuts the door in his face. Meanwhile, his heart has fallen onto the floor--literally--and shattered into pieces which he then carefully picks up, lays into his handkerchief, tying it into a knot.

_Toqué varias veces en la puerta de Margarita, quien había sido la mujer de mi vida hasta unos minutos antes, pero esa bestia –me cuesta usar la palabra, pero no hay otra– *esa pájara *ya estaba bajo la ducha o encerrada en su cuarto con la música a todo volumen. Ya se había olvidado de mí._​-- _Los Pedazos del corazón_, Luis López Nieves​​_But that beast--it hurts me to say it but there's no other word--*that bitch*, was already in the shower or just locked in her apartment, music going full blast._​


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## gato radioso

Yes, you´re right.
I guess that there must be thousands of words for this in English, but I think "bitch" is ok.

The idea is that, in Spanish, "puta" not only applies to someone who has sex professionally, but also to a very unpleasant, horrid, wicked, vile,  degenerate woman. I´d even dare to say that this latter is the most frequent use. But, as "puta" can sometimes sound too harsh, we often resort to euphemisms, the most common of them is "zorra". As this one is also quite strong, "pájara" is also used to soften it a bit.


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## boroman

Según el diccionario de WR y se aplicaría aquí


*Additional Translations*SpanishEnglish*pájaro* _adj__coloquial_ (dudoso, sospechoso) (_colloquial_)fishy, far-fetched, dodgy _adj_dubious _adj_


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## Matonkikí

Pájara for a woman or pájaro for a man, are nouns which can be used as adjectives to attribute some negative characteristics of this particular animal to someone 's personality.
We would not expect a bird to show gratitude,or loyalty, but to pick what they want and fly away feeling no remorse.People who behave like that cannot be trusted in any aspect (love, business,friendship..)
So,I think the narrator is disappointed because the woman  is ignoring him, she is already doing something else, probably happily as well,and in her own world where he feels she has no room for empathy.She is not worried about anything she might have done,there is no remorse and that is frustrating for him.


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## Magazine

yirgster said:


> _But that beast--it hurts me to say it but there's no other word--*that bitch*, was already in the shower or just locked in her apartment, music going full blast._



Very good translation, yirgster 

Look, this is from Collins: 



> 2.  (informal)
> (= mujer taimada) sneaky bitch (informal)
> (= ladrona) thieving woman



_Sneaky bitch_, sounds perfect to me


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## Mr.Dent

Bitch is a very strong word. Is Pájara a strong word?


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## Magazine

Mr.Dent said:


> Is Pájara a strong word?


I would consider it a medium strong word, I mean, bitch does sound stronger. Is there a slightly softer way?


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## Mr.Dent

damn broad
faithless cow


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## aldonzalorenzo

Mr.Dent said:


> Bitch is a very strong word. Is Pájara a strong word?


Not that strong at all. gato radioso says it's a mild way of saying "puta" and "zorra", but I don't think that's the only meaning.
You could say of a woman "menuda pájara" and of a man "menudo pájaro", meaning for instance that they are making a fraud. At least that's how I understand it. Of course it's an insult, but it's not like "bitch" or "whore".


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## gato radioso

aldonzalorenzo said:


> Not that strong at all. gato radioso says it's a mild way of saying "puta" and "zorra", but I don't think that's the only meaning.
> You could say of a woman "menuda pájara" and of a man "menudo pájaro", meaning for instance that they are making a fraud. At least that's how I understand it. Of course it's an insult, but it's not like "bitch" or "whore".


I agree.
I think that "pájara" can be translated in many contexts as _swindler, scammer… _this type of thing, but as _puta_ and _zorra _can be used so widely, besides their original meaning, you can apply those to any sort of woman you find disgusting, horrendous or immoral in general.
E.g.:
_Mi jefa es una verdadera zorra.
La ministra de agricultura negó ante el juez haber cometido corrupción, la muy pájara. _
Don´t forget that this type of vocabulary might be inappropriate and offensive in most situations.


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## aldonzalorenzo

Yo lo único que sé es que prefiero que me digan "menuda pájara esta", que "menuda zorra" o "menuda puta"


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## Matonkikí

aldonzalorenzo said:


> Yo lo único que sé es que prefiero que me digan "menuda pájara esta", que "menuda zorra" o "menuda puta"


😂😁¡qué bueno! Me identifico.


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## gato radioso

aldonzalorenzo said:


> Yo lo único que sé es que prefiero que me digan "menuda pájara esta", que "menuda zorra" o "menuda puta"





Matonkikí said:


> 😂😁¡qué bueno! Me identifico.


De perdidos al rio.


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## Graciela J

Hay una canción del cantante argentino Paz Martínez, titulada  "Qué par de pájaros". Habla de un hombre al que su mujer lo engaña con el mejor amigo de él; el estribillo de la canción dice:

Que par de pájaros los dos
Que original, tal para cual
Dos delincuentes del amor
Él desleal, tú que más da


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## Rocko!

Para mi, se dijo “pájara” en la narración porque su comportamiento es como si no pensara sus acciones que realiza; las hace sin meditar antes y sin reflexionar después, como un animalito


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## Ballenero

I didn't know that the true meaning of "bitch" is female dog.
It doesn't matter.
How about? as the song says "the lady is a *tramp*".


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## Magazine

Mr.Dent said:


> damn broad
> faithless cow


Damn broad, sounds great. 

Cow también va bien, y se mantiene la alusión a un animal


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## yirgster

_*broad *_is not used these days. At least not here in the US. I haven't heard it, except in old movies and books, in I don't know how many years. The story is at least moderately recent as the guy has a cell phone.

*faithless cow* sounds like it's from the UK. I only remember _*cow *_used in reference to a woman's appearance.

I mean, he already called her a *bestia* so it seems to me *bitch *is in keeping. *bitch *is very common here as an uncomplimentary term to a woman acting in or who acts generally in a *bitchy* way (sorry), but in fact is used generally and commonly to describe situations with some sort of difficulty in virtually any circumstance and in these cases it's certainly at the very low end of the vulgarity totem pole.

_How did your examine go? --It was a real *bitch*._​_Changing the flat was a total *bitch*. Took forever to get one of the lug nuts off. And, I scraped my knuckles bare._​_It's a *bitch *trying to deal with Comcast over the phone. _[Comcast is a large cable TV/internet, etc. company notorious for its customer service or, rather, lack thereof.]​_That was a *bitch *of an assignment._​_Ever try dealing with the IRS when they say you owe them money? Talk about a real *bitch*._​_It's a _*bitch *_of a process._​
Of course, this is my experience, so others, including here in the US, a pretty large country, might have heard differently.

There's actually a sort of humorous scene in Spike Lee's _Jungle Fever_. Samuel Jackson, the drug addict brother--he even steals his mother's TV to feed his habit--is visiting his architect brother (Wesley Snipes) at Snipes's apartment. The architect's girl friend (Annabella Sciorra) is of Italian descent in the film and in her neighborhood it's an absolute no-no to have anything to do with black people, let alone be in a relationship with a black man which, like, is the worst. In fact you're hated and despised and a virtual outcast if you do. Including in the family. Especially the father. At least, this is how it's often portrayed.

She's in another room when the doorbell rings (or whatever the scene details are) with a warm a smile and a welcoming expression of anticipation ready to meet the brother. He comes in and after some sort of greeting to Snipes (the gf isn't visible) says: _Where's the *bitch*? Where's the *bitch*?_

Pls forgive if some of the details aren't correct.



Magazine said:


> Damn broad, sounds great.
> 
> Cow también va bien, y se mantiene la alusión a un animal


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## Magazine

Magazine said:


> _Sneaky bitch_, sounds perfect to me


That's what I said before.


Mr.Dent said:


> Bitch is a very strong word. Is Pájara a strong word?


But really, it is not a strong word, so bitch for me is out.


yirgster said:


> he already called her a *bestia* so it seems to me *bitch *is in keeping.


Bestia is not the same as _beast_ in English. I mean, I call my friends bestia all the time when they make bad jokes, or mostly _really dirty jokes_ ...

Joder...¡qué bestia eres!

¡No seas bestia, hombre! 

In any case, the above would be _mild_ in an informal setting, actually it is calling somebody a super star in sports , for example. 

¡Vaya bestia, mira qué gol ha metido!


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## yirgster

Thanks for your reply, Magazine!

We use _*beast *_in a sporting context similarly too. And can use it humorously in other contexts. I could see it in your joke context too.

But, what do you think a good translation of _*bestia *_is in the context of the story? I actually didn't like my translation as _*beast*_. I would have preferred *animal*, or maybe something different. *beast *really didn't sit well with me. Well, got to think of an excuse. How about: it was nearly 2am so I was too tired to think?

As a general point, how strong *bitch* is in a context like this where you're expressing anger--typically at a woman--depends on it's tone; how forcibly/angrily it's said, or possibly spit out.

Sometimes it comes, as you know, with an intensifier: " _You know, you're a _*real bitch*."  Or:  "_Only a *true fucking bitch* would've done that!_"


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## jilar

Esta es la segunda acepción de pájaro/a en el DRAE:
Persona astuta y con muy pocos escrúpulos.

Lo de astuta no se ve o intuye en tu situación. Pero sí lo de poco escrupulosa.
Podríamos decir que es alguien egoísta, que mira por su interés sin importarle los demás. 
En este caso ¿por qué no le hace caso a su exnovio?

¿Tiene ya otro novio o qué?


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## yirgster

Hola, jilar.

> por qué no le hace caso a su exnovio

Because she's a bitch!

> ¿Tiene ya otro novio o qué?

Eso sería demasiado fácil, no?

No he terminado el cuento todavía, así que podría haber un giro. La primera frase:

_Margarita no es el tipo de mujer que le coge pena a los hombres._​


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## Magazine

yirgster said:


> _Margarita no es el tipo de mujer que le coge pena a los hombres._



Me he perdido 


yirgster said:


> Hola, jilar.
> 
> > por qué no le hace caso a su exnovio
> 
> Because she's a bitch!



En esta caso la llamaría como mucho _cabrona_, desde el punto de vista del ex-novio, pero desde cualquier otro punto de vista: 

Mujer lista 



> > ¿Tiene ya otro novio o qué?
> 
> Eso sería demasiado fácil, no?


¿Por qué?


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## yirgster

> Me he perdido

Magazine, not sure as to what you mean.

_Margarita isn't the kind of woman who has pity for men._​_Margarita isn't the kind of woman who takes pity on men._​
But, in context, I'd prefer:

_Margarita is the type of woman who doesn't have the slightest pity towards men._​
I don't understand the Spanish grammar however. Shouldn't it be: ... _*les* coge pena a los hombres.

>_ [por qué demasiado fácil si ella lo hubiera dejado por otro hombre, etc.]

Because it's banal, _prosaico_. A woman leaving one guy for another or vice-versa. Pretty mundane in the grand scheme of things, no?

More interesting to me is no explanation given, her heartlessness, his heart literally falling out of his chest and breaking into pieces on the floor right in front of her, and when he asks her for help her response is to shut the door in his face. Pero, ¿quien dijo que la vida sería fácil?

The story is available on the author's website: Los pedazos del corazón – Luis López Nieves – Palabra Abierta – Estados Unidos - Luis López Nieves - Ciudad Seva - Luis López Nieves


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## Magazine

yirgster said:


> > Me he perdido
> _Margarita no es el tipo de mujer que le coge pena a los hombres._
> Magazine, not sure as to what you mean.


Well, I don't understand the sentence, you obviously do  Le coge pena a los hombres...en España no es una frase habitual, no la he oído nunca.

En España quizás se diga: ...que no le dan pena los hombres.



yirgster said:


> I don't understand the Spanish grammar however. Shouldn't it be: ... _*les* coge pena a los hombres._



No, le is correcto, it doesn't refer to _men_ but to _her_. 

No me dan pena, no te dan pena, no le dan pena a ella los hombres.


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## jilar

A ver, mi pregunta sobre si ya tenía otro novio iba para poder explicar un poco el sentido que él, el ahora exnovio, le da a "pájara".

De este modo, si lo cambió por otro, es decir, que lo deja plantado porque ahora tiene otro novio, sería sensato pensar que pájara=puta.
Como diciendo, esta mujer es como las putas, que andan de hombre en hombre.

De todos modos, viendo que le cuesta decir la palabra, y así mismo lo explica, hay que pensar que debe ser un insulto bien fuerte o grave.
En esa situación cabría decir cualquier insulto de la misma gravedad.
Desde llamarla puta, hasta hija de puta (aunque su madre no tenga culpa de nada)... Por lo tanto, en inglés " bitch" puede servir perfectamente.


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## sarah_

jilar said:


> Persona astuta y con muy pocos escrúpulos.


   


aldonzalorenzo said:


> You could say of a woman "menuda pájara" and of a man "menudo pájaro", meaning for instance that they are making a fraud. At least that's how I understand it. Of course it's an insult, but it's not like "bitch" or "whore".





yirgster said:


> _Margarita no es el tipo de mujer que le coge pena a los hombres._


Quiere decir que no les coge cariño, que si deja de verlos no va a sufrir por su ausencia, no va a llorar


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## Ballenero

Ya que estamos en esto, quiero añadir que a mí no me suena bien del todo el uso que se hace aquí de "pájara".
Yo usaría "pájaro/a" para referirme a alguien, sí astuto o que por alguna razón da muestras de astucia pero que no es alguien cercano, no es alguien de tu círculo de amigos o de tu familia sino más bien desconocido o poco conocido, alguien que te da mala espina la primera vez que le ves.
Me suena más, algo como: "¿quién es es pájaro? Aunque reconozco que también se dice: ¡menudo pájaro estás hecho! pero quizás de un modo sarcástico.
Creo que hay otros términos más apropiados (y frecuentes) para esta situación, diré dos:
-Casi sinónimo de pájara,
Golfa.
-Y este tan bonito, 
Mala pécora.


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## Magazine

Ballenero said:


> Me suena más, algo como: "¿quién es es pájaro? Aunque reconozco que también se dice: ¡menudo pájaro estás hecho! pero quizás de un modo sarcástico.


Pero si oigo la frase no pienso "What a shithead!" Más bien, este tipejo quién es, lo que es suavemente insultante, pero nunca llega a putero, por ejemplo.


Ballenero said:


> Creo que hay otros términos más apropiados (y frecuentes) para esta situación, diré dos:
> -Casi sinónimo de pájara,
> Golfa.
> -Y este tan bonito,
> Mala pécora.


Golfa  ...eso es, no llegas a decirla _puta_, en plan a la cara, pero en fin, para mí es la más adecuada.


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## yirgster

Un hilo muy interesante!

Magazine, gracias por tu ayuda con la gramática.


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## Penyafort

When talking about adult women, both _pájara _and _golfa _are close in meaning and register, yet to me _pájara _puts a bit more emphasis on the cunning nature of that woman, implying she's wicked but sly, and depending on the speaker's tone may even add a hint of admiration. _Golfa_, instead, implies a more indecent or dishonest nature rather than sly, more on the sluttier side than on the sneaky one.


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## gato radioso

Penyafort said:


> When talking about adult women, both _pájara _and _golfa _are close in meaning and register, yet to me _pájara _puts a bit more emphasis on the cunning nature of that woman, implying she's wicked but sly, and depending on the speaker's tone may even add a hint of admiration. _Golfa_, instead, implies a more indecent or dishonest nature rather than sly, more on the sluttier side than on the sneaky one.


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