In our language, the use of adverbial phrases is common and in vain it is undoubtedly one of the most used by people who speak Spanish when we want to indicate that something is or was useless, or that it has not had the effect that was expected. It is generally used in relation to some action or activity that was carried out, and of course, it did not obtain the results that were expected due to the situation or event that had a negative impact.
With some examples we will better see the explanation of this widely used speech ... "Painting the front of the premises is in vain because immediately after doing it the groups of graffiti paint come and ruin the painting." "I feel like I did the course in vain because I can't get the job I thought I could get after doing it." "The screams of the assaulted woman were in vain because no passerby or security personnel from the area came to help her."
As we can see from the examples, the concept is always used associated with something that was done and that did not go as expected, or something that happened to us and that also had a bad outcome.
Religion: do not take God's name in vain, second commandment
On the other hand, we cannot ignore the importance of this address in the Christian religion since it is part of one of the ten most important commandments that God left his children on earth to be strictly observed and fulfilled. Otherwise, that is, if you do not do it, you would be committing a sin.
The second of the commandments holds: "You shall not take God's name in vain." This mandate has the clear mission of obliging Christians not to mention the name of God in an inappropriate way and linked to matters that are not their own or necessary. In other words, do not use it just for the sake of it, without an important purpose. Because of course, it is common for people to say, swear, promise things using God: "I swear to God", so that someone believes what they are saying, among other issues. This is clearly contrary to the second commandment.
Not in vain
Now, we must emphasize that as a consequence of this use another one arose, that of not in vain, which has the mission of opposing the previous one and that therefore is used to refer that something was not useless but on the contrary, it had an effect, a consequence. "Their efforts were not in vain and they ended up rewarding the author."
Photos: iStock - Mixmike / Aldo Murillo
