dando por saco

[Kendra]

In Ben's 3/3 newsletter he gave this example:
Lleva toda la noche 'dando por saco' - she's been 'giving us hell' all night long!

The brevity of the example did not give me an adequate sense of how one would use dando por saco in any other context than a screaming child. In general, if possible a few more examples or an explanation would be helpful in presenting such expressions.

I recently learned the word reñir, which my friend translated to me as "giving [someone] hell" when he wrote:
"Esta mañana he estado en la oficina de los servicios sociales y les he reñido, pues me han solicitado muchísimos documentos para nada."

In American English, giving someone hell usually means upbraiding or scolding them, not giving them a hard time or creating difficulties. That is why I was unclear exactly how dando por saco would be used, and also I wondered why it is considered rude, as Ben said. Can anyone analyze the phrase for me?

[imc]

Dar por saco quiere decir molestar o fastidiar.
Una expresión algo más suave con el mismo significado es dar la tabarra, o dar la lata. A alguien muy molesto, por insistente o pesado, se le suele llamar latoso.

[Kralizec]

Well, dar por saco means "to annoy/irritate/bother", but it can also mean (at least in Spain) "to sodomize" - and in fact, this is its original meaning. So that's why it is considered a rude expression.

[lazarus1907]

"a tomar por saco" is like "a tomar por culo", but it is actually used by many people when they don't meant to be that rude. There are many ways of saying "to annoy" in Spanish idioms and in slang, and many of them make some direct or indirect reference to the act of sodomize, as Kralizec said.

"Les he reñido" is not exactly "I gave them hell", but "I told them off / reprimended them".

[Kralizec]

A way to say dar por saco without that sexual connotation would be dar la brasa. It's mainly used referring to people who are continually talking or demanding attention.

[gastephen]

Well, dar por saco means "to annoy/irritate/bother", but it can also mean (at least in Spain) "to sodomize" - and in fact, this is its original meaning. So that's why it is considered a rude expression.



Interesting! Can [I]saco be used to mean culo then?

The Oxford Spanish Dictionary has these example sentences (among others):

saco masculino

A (continente) sack; (contenido) sack, sackful; darle por saco a alguien (vulgar) to screw somebody (argot), to shaft somebody (argot); ¡que te den por saco! (vulgar) screw you! (vulgar); mandar a alguien a tomar por saco (vulgar) to tell somebody to piss off (vulgar), to tell somebody to get stuffed (inglés británico argot); ¡vete a tomar por saco! (España vulgar) screw you! (vulgar), get stuffed! (inglés británico argot);

which is all screw rather than bugger orientated

Harrap's Pardon my Spanish on the other hand leans toward the latter:

vete a tomar por saco sod off
el proyecto se ha ido a tomar por saco the project's buggered
este ordenador da por saco this computer is a pain in the bloody arse
que le den por saco sod him

[Kralizec]

Well, the original expression was dar por donde se rompe el saco, but it got shortened to just dar por saco. An overloaded sack breaks by its bottom, called el culo del saco.

[delgado]

A way to say dar por saco without that sexual connotation would be dar la brasa. It's mainly used referring to people who are continually talking or demanding attention.

Like this guy? :D

FCIosKNIC_g

[gastephen]

Well, the original expression was dar por donde se rompe el saco, but it got shortened to just dar por saco. An overloaded sack breaks by its bottom, called el culo del saco.

Aha! Thanks for the explanation of the origin.

BTW, I always liked the "English" term for a dead-end street cul-de-sac (from the French, of course).

[Kendra]

thanks to all for clarifying dar por saco. I think my first use of it will be "este ordenador da por saco."

[gastephen]

thanks to all for clarifying dar por saco. I think my first use of it will be "este ordenador da por saco."

;D;D

I think that phrase could be in danger of being worn out!