9

I need an expression or a phrase—even if it is an idiom (to make it stylish)—commonly used by English native speakers to express a situation where your friend or your neighbor offend you so much that you are declaring to them in (a threatening way) you wish to have no more interactions with them. Or that they should know you are severing/cutting off any further relations or interactions with them.

To make it more clear, in my native language we say:

"Ba ni ba kai!"

Whose English literal equivalence is:

"No me no you!"

Which I wonder if say I so (the "No me no you!") could communicate such expression easily to English native speakers, could it?

Improve this question
1
  • 1
    Are there any problems with something more broad that doesn't have the longer lasting implications? For instance, "Go away" fits, but doesn't necessarily mean "stay away", although you could compound them to make "Go away and stay gone."
    – Anoplexian
    Jul 18, 2018 at 20:24

8 Answers 8

Reset to default
36

I think I might say this using this phrase:

I'm done with you.

NOAD lists this meaning:

be done with give up concern for : Steve was not done with her.

while TFD says:

done with (someone or something)
Finished with someone or something; no longer involved with someone or something.
That group has been a really negative influence in my life, so I've decided that I'm done with them altogether.

This can also be said as: I'm through with you.

Like the expression in your native language, these are succinct and abrupt expressions that can be used to tell someone that future interactions are over. But your literal translation (No me, no you) would not work well in English.

Improve this answer
1
  • 3
    I'm not sure this carries the same inherent weight as the original. With the right delivery, it might carry the same weight; but just reading it in text, the initial impression that popped into my mind is "I am fed up and going to go away until I calm down or you stop being bothersome". Or, in some contexts, it could also be used as "you are now free to go", such as if you're helping someone who doesn't realize that you've finished what you needed to do.
    – Soron
    Jul 18, 2018 at 17:09
31

"Dead to me" is an English idiom in some regions of the USA (New England states, Italian-American maybe?), but it is easily understood even if the idiom is unfamiliar.

It's generally used as a single sentence:

"He is dead to me."

Once they are declared "dead" there is nothing more to say or do. "Death" is permanent.

It's not so much a declaration to the person's face (it's possible in a heated argument to say "You are dead to me!"), but usually it tells a mutual acquaintance that you are no longer interested in even discussing that person.

There's an implied declaration that any news to the contrary (that they are alive and doing ok) will be ignored.

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dead%20to%20me

Improve this answer
12
  • 7
    This can also be 1st person: "You're dead to me"
    – G. Ann - SonarSource Team
    Jul 18, 2018 at 14:08
  • 4
    @G.Ann-SonarSourceTeam Wouldn't that be 2nd person? And "I'm dead to me" be 1st? Or am I missing something here? It would certainly be in person.
    – Arthur
    Jul 18, 2018 at 15:58
  • 5
    @Graham I wouldn't exactly call "dead to me" old-fashioned. From my experience I've only heard people use "dead to me" non-ironically when they're extremely serious about wanting said person out of their lives, given the obvious death connotations.
    – Alexander
    Jul 18, 2018 at 18:52
  • 1
    @wetcircuit I can confirm it's broader than the NE US. It's a phrase we're familiar with in the Midwest as well.
    – kuhl
    Jul 19, 2018 at 15:53
  • 2
    @wetcircuit Mid-Atlantic here, and no one would be surprised by the phrase, just surprised because it's no longer fashionable to publicly feud with people.
    – user3067860
    Jul 19, 2018 at 22:50
15

I think the simplest way to say this might be

We're through!

be through (with somebody/something)
informal

  • to no longer be having a relationship with someone
    • That’s it! Simon and I are through.
    • I’m through with you!

from Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Online

Improve this answer
8

You can end a relationship with someone by cutting ties with them. The reason you cut ties with someone can be anything:

To end or discontinue a relationship—romantic or otherwise—with someone or some group.

Example:

After hearing his very offensive remarks about my father, I decided to finally cut all ties with him. I hope I'll never see him again in my life.

Improve this answer
2
  • 2
    This is a useful idiomatic expression, but I don't think it works well in the OP's scenario. I can't imagine myself telling my neighbor, "I'm cutting ties with you."
    – J.R. ♦
    Jul 18, 2018 at 11:08
  • 1
    Good observation but I don't really mean I would do that. I employed that to make the scenario easily understood and to add to my English vocabulary just in case or when making up a story in which such situation is meaningfully or reasonably imagined and justified.
    – iandu76
    Jul 18, 2018 at 11:33
3

“I wash my hands of you!”

This is an English idiom that means you plan to have no further interaction with, or responsibility for, another person or situation.

You can accompany it with a dismissive hand-washing gesture for added impact.

enter image description here

Improve this answer
2

To "Part brass rags" is an old Royal Navy idiom for severing a partnership. (Messmates would keep their cleaning materials in a shared locker, but if a rift occurred they would move their stuff to another location.) Might be a bit too archaic for younger listeners.)

Improve this answer
3
  • 5
    I have been speaking English for mumble years and never heard this curious and wonderful phrase! It would be great if you could provide a reference.
    – Omar and Lorraine
    Jul 18, 2018 at 15:50
  • It is listed in here: Royal Navy Diction & Slang - HMS Richmond, 3/4 of the way down
    – Greenonline
    Jul 18, 2018 at 22:32
  • This phrase appeared a few times in P.G. Wodehouse books. That's the only place I've encountered it. He used a number of interesting English idioms.
    – Tim Nevins
    Jul 19, 2018 at 15:21
1

The last straw

This expression is often used for when a series of problems becomes too much and change is required.

Car has many small problems:

I sold that piece of junk. The last straw was that the door wouldn't lock.

This is useful in your situation in that the next time your neighbor is offensive you can say:

That's the last straw! I don't want to see you anymore!

Improve this answer
1

Shun

For example:

Her once-friendly neighbors now shun her entire family

Chicago Tribune 19 May 2008

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .