THE POOR - LOS POBRES

 Los pobres tienen buena prensa desde que las religiones nos pusieron en un pedestal. Yo soy pobre, pobre, de esos de llevar remiendos en los pantalones y de dar envidia a las ratas, y sé mucho de este tema. Unos ejemplos en inglés y castellano sobre la fraseología del pobre:

A (the) poor man’s… De pobres…

The bike is a poor man’s transportation La bici es transporte de pobres

— “I grew up hunting, but it was poor man’s hunting. Mainly rabbits…” thereluctunctpaladin.com, 11/2012. US.

Be dirt poor Ser pobre de solemnidad, pobretón, paupérrimo

I’m dirt poor and eat only once a day Soy pobre de solemnidad y sólo como una vez al día

— “People all over the world kill themselves for all kinds of reasons -- children, old people, the dirt poor, even the filthy rich.” Thestranger.com., 2012. US.

Better poor than… Antes pobre que…

Better poor than a liar Antes pobre que mentiroso

— “Better poor than honest. The rich are bad.” Enterpreneur, February 19, 2025. US.

Poor as a church mouse Más pobre que las ratas (una rata)

I am por as a church mouse Soy pobre como las ratas

— “She’s as poor as a church mouse, that’s why she has to come to Arthur and Margot’s in the holidays.” A classic English crime. London, BNC, 1990. UK.

Poor but clean Pobre pero honrado

I’m poor but clean Soy pobre pero honrado

— “… images of the poor but clean and virtuous young Indian woman…” Tace Hedrick, Mestizo Modernism…, 2003. US.

Poor old me ¡Pobre de mí!

Poor old me! What have I done to deserve this? ¡Pobre de mí! ¿Qué he hecho para merecer esto?

— “Enough about poor old me. Tell me about you.” Film The Other Side of Heaven, 2001. US.

Poor relations Parientes pobres

Bilingual lexicography is the poor relation to lexicography La lexicografía bilingüe es el pariente pobre de la lexicografía

— “Preternatural creatures were like poor relations after a big lottery win. Once you let them inside, they have no inclination to leave.” Suzanne Johnson, Pirate’s Alley, 2016. US.

Poor thing! ¡Pobrecito!

Johnny, you broke your leg. Poor thing! Juanito, te has roto la pierna. ¡Pobrecito!

— “You poor thing. You'd best go to your doctor and get your anti-psychotic meds adjusted.” Midiaite.com, 2012. US.

The poor Los pobres

The poor usually smell bad Normalmente los pobres huelen mal

— “… the first thing that comes to their mind may be the call to charity or solidarity with the poor, as exemplified by Mother Teresa of Calcutta.” Blog.acton.org, 2012. US.