B2 Idiom Informell

Estar com o pé na cova

Be on one's last leg

Bedeutung

To be very old, sick, or near death; or something nearing its end.

🌍

Kultureller Hintergrund

In Brazil, this phrase is often used with a sense of dark humor, especially among older generations. The usage is similar to Brazil, but it might be considered slightly more traditional or conservative in tone. Used in urban settings to describe failing infrastructure or businesses. Used in similar contexts to describe the end of a process or the decline of something.

⚠️

Be careful with the tone

This is a very blunt idiom. Only use it with people you know well.

🎯

Use it for things, not just people

It's very common to use this for failing businesses or old cars.

Bedeutung

To be very old, sick, or near death; or something nearing its end.

⚠️

Be careful with the tone

This is a very blunt idiom. Only use it with people you know well.

🎯

Use it for things, not just people

It's very common to use this for failing businesses or old cars.

💬

Dark humor

In Brazil, this is often used as a joke. Don't be offended if someone uses it about themselves.

Teste dich selbst

Fill in the blank with the correct phrase.

Aquele negócio está ___________, ele vai fechar logo.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: com o pé na cova

The idiom for a failing business is 'estar com o pé na cova'.

Choose the best situation to use this idiom.

When is it appropriate to use 'estar com o pé na cova'?

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: When a project is about to fail completely.

The idiom describes terminal states or imminent failure.

Match the idiom to its meaning.

Match 'Estar com o pé na cova' to its meaning.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: To be near death or failure

The idiom is a metaphor for the end of life or a process.

Complete the dialogue.

A: O que aconteceu com o seu computador antigo? B: ___________.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Está com o pé na cova.

The context implies the computer is old and failing.

🎉 Ergebnis: /4

Visuelle Lernhilfen

Aufgabensammlung

4 Aufgaben
Fill in the blank with the correct phrase. Fill Blank B1

Aquele negócio está ___________, ele vai fechar logo.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: com o pé na cova

The idiom for a failing business is 'estar com o pé na cova'.

Choose the best situation to use this idiom. Choose B2

When is it appropriate to use 'estar com o pé na cova'?

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: When a project is about to fail completely.

The idiom describes terminal states or imminent failure.

Match the idiom to its meaning. Match A2

Ordne jedem Element links seinen Partner rechts zu:

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: To be near death or failure

The idiom is a metaphor for the end of life or a process.

Complete the dialogue. dialogue_completion B1

A: O que aconteceu com o seu computador antigo? B: ___________.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Está com o pé na cova.

The context implies the computer is old and failing.

🎉 Ergebnis: /4

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

No, it is too strong. Use it only for terminal or very serious situations.

It can be, if used in the wrong context. Avoid it in professional or sensitive settings.

'Cova' is much more common in everyday speech.

Absolutely not. It is too informal and morbid.

No, it is very common for businesses, projects, and old objects.

It represents the physical act of stepping into the grave.

Yes, it is widely understood in all of them.

You could, but the idiom is 'um pé'. Using 'dois' sounds like they are already dead.

No, it is very informal.

Only the verb 'estar' changes.

Verwandte Redewendungen

🔄

Estar nas últimas

synonym

To be at the end of one's resources.

🔗

Bater as botas

similar

To die.

🔗

Ir para o beleléu

similar

To go to ruin/die.

🔗

Dar o último suspiro

similar

To take one's last breath.

War das hilfreich?
Noch keine Kommentare. Sei der Erste, der seine Gedanken teilt!