patatús

Spanish

Etymology

From pata (“foot”) + tús (possibly an onomatopoeia imitating the thump made by someone falling onto the ground). Some have proposed it that it may have come from French patapouf (“splat!”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pataˈtus/ [pa.t̪aˈt̪us]
• Rhymes: -us
• Syllabification: pa‧ta‧tús

Noun

patatús m (plural patatuses)

1. (colloquial) faint (act of fainting), swoon

   Synonyms: desmayo, chungo

   Cuando vi la factura de la luz, ¡casi me daba un patatús!

   When I saw the electricity bill, I almost fainted!

2. (colloquial) heart attack; fit

   Synonym: ataque al corazón

   ¡Que triste! Según su hijo, le dio un patatús mientras dormía.

   How sad! According to his son, he suffered a heart attack in his sleep.

   • 2014, Gutiérrez Flores Gutiérrez, Por una cabeza, page 74:

     Con que salgo de la cama y me encuentro á usted tenido en esa silla a la larga, porque le dió un patatús...

     I got out of bed and I found you clinging onto that chair, for you had suffered a heart attack...

Further reading

• “patatús”, in Diccionario de la lengua española (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy, 2023 November 28