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Ken Bondy
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Ni Modo
I should know this, and maybe I do, but can someone tell me the precise translation for "ni modo"?? Gracias,
++Ken++
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DENNIS
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I think it means, "No way."
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Eli
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Ken Bondy, I have always interpeted Ni Modo as "Oh well". I have heard it used in the following instances;
hurricane blew away my roof, dang, ni modo.
My father died yesterday, ay, ni modo.
It sure is hot. Pues, si es, ni modo.
His wife left him. ¿A poco? pues, ni modo, ya tinea que pasar.
Pues, ya sabes, es otro P-nche lunes, y ni los guienas ponen. Si pues, ni modo.
There will be no classes at the school today, ni modo.
Otro ves, The truck battery is dead, pues, ni modo.
Her husband got drunk and beat her again. Ni Modo.
The coffee machine broke, ni modo.
The price of tortillas went up again, pues, ni modo, a si es.
I read it as cultural way of stoically expressing an acceptance of disapointments small and large, it is an easy answer for when you don't know what
else to say, covers all bases. I use Ni Modo almost daily.
I have also heard it used in kind of an ironic positive sence.
Ni modo, por fin se va a casar ellos. ¿A poco? pues, ni modo.
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Osprey
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Ken, glad you asked. This is just my humble (but qualified) opinion:
It comes from the Maya and spells out their fatalistic culture. The whole sentence would be "No Way this could have been avoided." The Maya gods
were many and all powerful. The gods were in charge and it became a given that ill fortune was their doing, that the Maya were powerless to prevent
what awaits them on the very uncertain journey of life, death. This whole fatalistic approach to life defines modern Mexican culture -- it is a core
part of the guilt-free, seemingly carefree or casual, mos o menus attitude that has made Jimmy Buffett famous, keeps parot-heads happy.
We start a long road trip in a brand new car. Twenty miles into the trip we think "What's that funny noise" and the whold trip is ruined. Mexicans
around here start a similar adventure in an old beater and (usually) have a safe and carefree ride. If they break down, they say "Ni modo" and it
don't mean "OH chiit".
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Paula
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Actually, ni modo means Norway. Ni=nor. Modo=way. Norway.
When the family piles into the trusty, reliable 1972 Ford Pinto and it breaks down on the way to the beach they can't believe that the trusty car has
failed them. Never happened before. To a Mexican, there is no place on earth stranger than Norway. So when something unexpected happens, they just
say ni modo. Norway.
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Eli
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Too funny Paula, thanks for the chuckle.
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DENNIS
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Did I say No Way? I meant Norway. Yeah. That's what I meant. Norway.
Thanks, Paula.........The heat, you know. So confusing some times.
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Osprey
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Paula, at the risk of being called wishy (and washy) I like your rendition better than mine.
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Osprey
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Paula, my wife is teaching me how to use Mexican language shortcuts like that: "he's gone" = SAFEWAY
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Ken Bondy
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Thanks everyone. Sara your examples are great. I had a general impression that "ni modo" was used as "no matter" and I guess that was correct but it
really is a bit more than that. Anyway thanks for the responses. ++Ken++
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fdt
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Ken, disculpa que no conteste a tiempo tu pregunta, Ni modo. 
A well informed Baja California traveler is a smart Baja California traveler!
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Ken Bondy
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Fernando, no hay una problema, yo entiendo, ni modo 
[Edited on 8-21-2007 by Ken Bondy]
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Ken Bondy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Paula
Actually, ni modo means Norway. Ni=nor. Modo=way. Norway.
When the family piles into the trusty, reliable 1972 Ford Pinto and it breaks down on the way to the beach they can't believe that the trusty car has
failed them. Never happened before. To a Mexican, there is no place on earth stranger than Norway. So when something unexpected happens, they just
say ni modo. Norway. |
Paula I just had Babelfish translate "ni modo" for me. Guess what it came up with? Norway. Honest, try it.
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fdt
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It is used also as, Ni hablar, ni que hacerle, ni lucha que hacerle and some from my zip code would also say Ni pedo.
A well informed Baja California traveler is a smart Baja California traveler!
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Osprey
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Wink, wink, you can trust your fellow Nomads. Why don't you share with us what you know? We can't know what you do. We are just trying hard to
understand. If you have some special knowledge we could miss after reading countless books, spending time in Mexico, living here, being a part of the
people, the country, give us a hint.
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Ken Bondy
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Fernando is "pedo" what I think it is? Related to flatulence?
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fdt
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ni pedo, thats what it means 
A well informed Baja California traveler is a smart Baja California traveler!
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vacaenbaja
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Reminds me of spanish class when the teacher asked the class to use the verb tocar. THe first student said yo toca
la guitara. The teacher then asked the wise guy of the class
looking to stump the inattentive student. He promptly replied
to the whole class with a grin "yo toca mi muchacha!" or
something like that ...it was a long time ago......
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Oso
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Also:
"Ponerse pedo"= to get drunk
"No hay pedo"= no problem, nothing to fight about
"Esta bien pedo"= He's really drunk.
All my childhood I wanted to be older. Now I\'m older and this chitn sucks.
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Ken Bondy
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Now I'm confused. I thought "pedo" means "fart". Oso does it also mean "drunk"? I've always thought "drunk" was "borracho". Help.
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