Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
ficha importante
English translation:
major player
Added to glossary by
Charles Davis
Jun 30, 2018 16:41
5 yrs ago
Spanish term
ficha importante
Spanish to English
Other
Poetry & Literature
A guy gets pulled over by the cops, they run his info through their database and come back to tell him that he is a "fiche importante para la DEA" Here is an excerpt from the book:
Momentos después, el agente que había tomado sus documentos abrió la puerta.
—Yoel De Santa Ana —dijo—, no entiendo por qué nos hace perder el tiempo. Hubiese sido más fácil que nos hubiese dicho quién era. ¿Acaso pensabas que no lo íbamos a saber? Eres una ficha importante para la DEA. En estos momentos, los sheriffs de Murray Hill, en Queens, se están movilizando para venir a buscarte.
Momentos después, el agente que había tomado sus documentos abrió la puerta.
—Yoel De Santa Ana —dijo—, no entiendo por qué nos hace perder el tiempo. Hubiese sido más fácil que nos hubiese dicho quién era. ¿Acaso pensabas que no lo íbamos a saber? Eres una ficha importante para la DEA. En estos momentos, los sheriffs de Murray Hill, en Queens, se están movilizando para venir a buscarte.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +3 | major player |
Charles Davis
|
| 4 | has a big file on you |
Lisa McCarthy
|
| 3 | there's a significant file on you |
Barbara Cochran, MFA
|
Change log
Jul 14, 2018 04:17: Charles Davis Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+3
1 hr
Selected
major player
In other words, an important criminal. "Ficha" doesn't mean a file or police record here; the man himself is seen as a "ficha". "Para la DEA" means in the opinion of the DEA. You could say "the DEA sees you as a major player" or "the DEA has you down as a major player", or maybe "you're high on the DEA's most-wanted list" or even "the DEA really wants to get its hands on you".
"Ficha" can mean "8. f. Persona peligrosa; pícaro, bribón" ( http://dle.rae.es/?id=HqtY6oE ). In Mexico it can mean "Persona peligrosa o de cuidado, que no es de fiar y cuyas intenciones no son transparentes" ( http://lema.rae.es/damer/?key=ficha ). It's along those lines.
The expression is quite often used in the world of narcos and cartels. A couple of examples:
"También está un hombre identificado como Jefrie Rojas, a quien se le atribuye ser una “ficha importante” en el lavado de activos de la organización criminal."
http://eldia.com.do/cartel-del-malecon-usaba-con-facilidad-a...
"En diciembre de 2012, Graça Alves, alias Mano G, fue capturado por las autoridades de Brasil en desarrollo de una fase de la operación Muralla, ya que era considerado una ficha importante del ala armada de la organización delincuencial que dirige su tío."
https://www.fiscalia.gov.co/colombia/trafico-de-estupefacien...
"Jarvis Pavão era uno de los delincuentes más buscados de Paraguay al momento de su detención en 2009, junto a Carlos Antonio Caballero, alias “Capilo”, otro sospechoso de ser ficha importante del narcotráfico con nexos con grupos criminales brasileños."
https://es.insightcrime.org/noticias/noticias-del-dia/homici...
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Note added at 1 hr (2018-06-30 17:52:51 GMT)
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In Spain it's quite common to say "¡menuda ficha! referring to someone who behaves dishonestly, outrageously or maliciously.
"¡Ese Croft, menuda ficha! Un malnacido. Justo lo que necesitaban: un verdadero hijo de puta" (from the Spanish version of Norman Mailer's The Naked and the Dead),
https://books.google.es/books?id=wtA3DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT555&lpg=P...
"Ficha" can mean "8. f. Persona peligrosa; pícaro, bribón" ( http://dle.rae.es/?id=HqtY6oE ). In Mexico it can mean "Persona peligrosa o de cuidado, que no es de fiar y cuyas intenciones no son transparentes" ( http://lema.rae.es/damer/?key=ficha ). It's along those lines.
The expression is quite often used in the world of narcos and cartels. A couple of examples:
"También está un hombre identificado como Jefrie Rojas, a quien se le atribuye ser una “ficha importante” en el lavado de activos de la organización criminal."
http://eldia.com.do/cartel-del-malecon-usaba-con-facilidad-a...
"En diciembre de 2012, Graça Alves, alias Mano G, fue capturado por las autoridades de Brasil en desarrollo de una fase de la operación Muralla, ya que era considerado una ficha importante del ala armada de la organización delincuencial que dirige su tío."
https://www.fiscalia.gov.co/colombia/trafico-de-estupefacien...
"Jarvis Pavão era uno de los delincuentes más buscados de Paraguay al momento de su detención en 2009, junto a Carlos Antonio Caballero, alias “Capilo”, otro sospechoso de ser ficha importante del narcotráfico con nexos con grupos criminales brasileños."
https://es.insightcrime.org/noticias/noticias-del-dia/homici...
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Note added at 1 hr (2018-06-30 17:52:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
In Spain it's quite common to say "¡menuda ficha! referring to someone who behaves dishonestly, outrageously or maliciously.
"¡Ese Croft, menuda ficha! Un malnacido. Justo lo que necesitaban: un verdadero hijo de puta" (from the Spanish version of Norman Mailer's The Naked and the Dead),
https://books.google.es/books?id=wtA3DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT555&lpg=P...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
6 mins
Lisa McCarthy
Spain
Spain
Native in English
Spain
Especialista de marketing
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, Catalan to English
Related KudoZ points
:
104
has a big file on you
I think this may work.
"The DEA (?) has a big file on you."
BBC News - Today - MI5 'said Bronowski was a risk'
news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9444000/9444270.stm
Apr 4, 2011 - Files released today show that MI5 labelled the scientist and broadcaster Jacob Bronowski a "security risk" for nearly 20 years. ... The local police were asked if they knew of him, and they ... **MI5 have a big file on him".**
Jack Martin - Google Groups
https://groups.google.com/d/topic/alt.assassination.jfk/Afk8...
Aug 24, 1999 - available at the National Archives. Garrison had to bury ... Deputy Sheriffs and the Superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department, whom ... must **have a big file on** Ferrie as a they conducted a complete investigation of ...
1 January 2013 - daehanmindecline
www.daehanmindecline.com/2013/
Also, as it's the end of the year, I'm unlocking all the 2013 archives. ..... just covering, eg "I Fought the Law," "Revolution Rock," "Police on My Back"; ...... By the way, I didn't go mainly because they probably already **have a big file on me** from the ...
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Note added at 37 minutos (2018-06-30 17:18:58 GMT)
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You could use 'HEFTY' as an alternative to 'big', which I think is actually better than 'big', suits the register of the conversation.
"The DEA (?) has a big file on you."
BBC News - Today - MI5 'said Bronowski was a risk'
news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9444000/9444270.stm
Apr 4, 2011 - Files released today show that MI5 labelled the scientist and broadcaster Jacob Bronowski a "security risk" for nearly 20 years. ... The local police were asked if they knew of him, and they ... **MI5 have a big file on him".**
Jack Martin - Google Groups
https://groups.google.com/d/topic/alt.assassination.jfk/Afk8...
Aug 24, 1999 - available at the National Archives. Garrison had to bury ... Deputy Sheriffs and the Superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department, whom ... must **have a big file on** Ferrie as a they conducted a complete investigation of ...
1 January 2013 - daehanmindecline
www.daehanmindecline.com/2013/
Also, as it's the end of the year, I'm unlocking all the 2013 archives. ..... just covering, eg "I Fought the Law," "Revolution Rock," "Police on My Back"; ...... By the way, I didn't go mainly because they probably already **have a big file on me** from the ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 37 minutos (2018-06-30 17:18:58 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
You could use 'HEFTY' as an alternative to 'big', which I think is actually better than 'big', suits the register of the conversation.
7 mins
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
Laudable Lady Linguist
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
103
there's a significant file on you
In other words, there's quite a large record of illegal activity that this particular individual is alleged to have committed.
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Note added at 1 hr (2018-06-30 17:54:40 GMT)
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Or "a substantial file on you".
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Note added at 1 hr (2018-06-30 17:54:40 GMT)
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Or "a substantial file on you".
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