thing

1. (concrete) (= object) → cosa f
they were selling all sorts of things → vendían todo tipo de cosas
what's that thing called? → ¿cómo se llama eso?
get that thing off the sofa! → ¡quita esa cosa del sofá!
dogs? I can't stand the things → ¿perros? no puedo con ellos
a thing of beauty → una belleza, un objeto bello
things of value → objetos mpl de valor
you must be seeing things → estás viendo visiones

2. (non-concrete) (= matter, circumstance, action) → cosa f, asunto m, cuestión f
as things are; with things as they are → tal como están las cosas
that's how things are → así están las cosas
how are things? → ¿qué tal?
how are things with you? → ¿qué tal te va?, ¿cómo andas?
things are going badly → las cosas van or marchan mal
things aren't what they used to be → las cosas ya no son como antes or ya no son lo que eran
the thing is → lo que pasa es que ..., el caso es que ...
the thing is to sell your car first → conviene vender primero tu coche
what a thing to say! → ¡qué dices!, ¡cómo se te ocurre!
I haven't done a thing about it → no he hecho nada de nada al respecto
I don't know a thing about cars → no sé nada en absoluto de coches
I didn't know a thing for that exam → para ese examen no sabía nada de nada, para ese examen yo estaba pez (Sp)
above all things → ante todo, sobre todo
all things considered → bien mirado
all things being equal → si las cosas siguen como ahora
the system cannot be all things to all people → el sistema no puede contentar a todo el mundo
a gentleman in all things → un caballero en todos los aspectos
and for another thing → y además ..., y por otra parte ...
the best thing would be to wait → lo mejor sería esperar
the next best thing → lo mejor después de eso
we had hoped for better things → habíamos esperado algo mejor
it was a close thing [race] → fue una carrera muy reñida; [accident] → por poco chocamos, casi chocamos; [escape] → escapamos por un pelo
it's not the done thing → eso no se hace
the first thing to do is → lo primero que hay que hacer es ...
first thing (in the morning) → a primera hora (de la mañana)
you don't know the first thing about it → no sabes nada en absoluto de esto
first things first! → ¡lo primero es lo primero!
it's a good thing he didn't see you → menos mal que no te vio
the good thing about it is that → lo bueno es que ...
it's finished and a good thing too → se acabó y me alegro de ello
she knows a good thing when she sees it → sabe obrar de acuerdo con su propio interés
this is too much of a good thing → esto es demasiado
it's just the thing! → ¡es justo lo que me faltaba!
that's the last thing we want → eso es lo último que queremos
last thing (at night) → antes de acostarse
the main thing → lo más importante, lo principal
to make a mess of things → estropearlo todo
it was a near thing = it was a close thing
(the) next thing I knew, he'd gone → cuando me di cuenta, ya se había ido
not a thing → nada
for one thing → en primer lugar
what with one thing and another → entre una(s) cosa(s) y otra(s)
it's one thing to buy it, quite another to make it work → es fácil comprarlo, pero no es tan fácil hacerlo funcionar
if it's not one thing it's the other → si no es una cosa es otra
neither one thing nor the other → ni lo uno ni lo otro
the only thing is to paint it → la única cosa que se puede hacer es pintarlo
I showed him the copy and he thought it was the real thing → le enseñé la copia y pensó que era el auténtico
this time I'm in love, it's the real thing → esta vez estoy enamorada de verdad
to do the right thing → obrar bien, obrar honradamente
you did the right thing → hiciste bien
I've done a silly thing → he hecho algo tonto
did you ever see such a thing? → ¿se vio jamás tal cosa?
there's no such thing! → ¡no hay tal!
the play's the thing → lo que importa es la representación
it's just one of those things → son cosas que pasan, son cosas de la vida
he knows a thing or two → sabe de qué va
I could tell you a thing or two about her → podría decirte unas cuantas cosas sobre ella
it's the very thing! → ¡es justo lo que me faltaba!
to try to be all things to all men → tratar de serlo todo para todos
to be on to a good thing he knew he was on to a good thing when the orders started flowing in → supo que había dado con chollo cuando empezaron a llover los pedidos
to make a (big) thing (out) of sth he made a big thing out of the accident → exageró mucho el accidente
she made a big thing of introducing him to me → me lo presentó con mucho aparato
don't make a thing of it! → ¡no es para tanto!

3. things (= belongings) → cosas fpl; (= clothes) → ropa fsing; (= luggage) → equipaje msing
where shall I put my things? → ¿dónde pongo mis cosas?
to pack up one's things → hacer las maletas
she had brought her painting things with her → se había traído sus utensilios de pintura
to wash up/clear away the supper things → lavar los platos/quitar la mesa de la cena
to take off one's things → quitarse la ropa, desnudarse

4. (= person)
you mean thing! → ¡mira que eres tacaño!
you nasty thing! → ¡mira que eres desagradable!
you poor (old) thing!, poor thing! → ¡pobrecito!
the stupid thing went and sold it → el muy estúpido fue y lo vendió
she's a sweet little thing, isn't she? → es monísima, ¿verdad?

5. (= fashion)
the latest thing in hats → lo último en sombreros
it's quite the thing → está muy de moda

6. (= activity, preference) his thing is fast cars → lo suyo son los coches rápidos
it's not my thing → no es lo mío
to do one's own thing → ir a su aire
you know her, she likes to do her own thing → ya la conoces, le gusta ir a su aire

7. (= obsession) → obsesión f
he has a thing about cleanliness → está obsesionado con la limpieza → tiene obsesión or manía con la limpieza
he has a thing about steam engines → está obsesionado por las locomotoras a vapor, le obsesionan las locomotoras a vapor
I have a thing about punctuality → soy un maniático de la puntualidad
he's got a thing for her → está colado por ella

8. (= phobia) → fobia f
she has a thing about snakes → le tiene fobia a las serpientes

9. (= relationship, affair) he's got a thing going with her → se entiende con ella
he had a thing with her two years ago → se lió con ella hace dos años

a. → cosa; (object) → oggetto; (contraption) → aggeggio
a thing of beauty → una bella cosa, un bell'oggetto
things of value → oggetti di valore
what's that thing? → cos'è quell'affare?
the main thing is to keep calm → la cosa più importante è mantenere la calma
the first thing to do is (to) check the facts → la prima cosa da fare è controllare i fatti
the best thing would be to ... → la cosa migliore sarebbe di...
for one thing → in primo luogo, tanto per cominciare
what with one thing and another → tra una cosa e l'altra
if it's not one thing it's the other → se non è una è l'altra
it's neither one thing nor the other → non è né carne né pesce
first thing (in the morning) → come or per prima cosa (di mattina)
last thing (at night) → come or per ultima cosa (di sera)
it's a good thing that he left → è stato un bene che se ne sia andato
it was a close or near thing → ce l'ha fatta per un pelo
it's the (very) thing → è proprio quello che ci vuole
the thing is ... → il fatto è che...
it's just one of those things → sono cose che capitano
what a thing to say! → cosa dici mai!
how are things (with you)? → come (ti) va?
things are going badly → le cose vanno male
things aren't what they used to be → non è più come una volta
not a thing to say/to wear → niente da dire/da mettersi
I haven't done a thing about it yet → non ho ancora fatto niente
he knows a thing or two → la sa lunga
to make a mess of things → farla grossa, combinare un casino
you did the right thing (fam) → hai fatto la cosa migliore
to make a (big) thing out of sth (fam) → fare una tragedia di qc

b. things npl (belongings, clothes, equipment) → roba sg, cose fpl
take your wet things off → togliti quella roba bagnata di dosso
the tea things → le cose per il tè
take your things and go! → prendi la tua roba e vattene!

c. to do one's own thing (fam) → fare quello che si vuole
she's got a thing about mice → è terrorizzata dai topi
he's got a thing about brunettes → ha un debole per le brune
the latest thing in hats → l'ultimo grido in fatto di cappelli

d. (creature) poor thing → poveretto/a
what a sweet little thing! → che carino!