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Let the cat out of the bag/Spill the beans

 

An idiom is an expression whose meaning is not readily apparent based on the individual words in the expression. This forum is dedicated to discussing idioms and other sayings.


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  #11  
Old June 30, 2008, 02:27 PM
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My husband says he has heard that liebre expression, Rusty.And he's Spanish.
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  #12  
Old June 30, 2008, 02:29 PM
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It looks like descubrir el pastel means something like 'to find out in the end'. This means that a secret someone has kept has finally been learned.
What say the hispanohablantes?
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  #13  
Old June 30, 2008, 03:06 PM
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"tirar de la manta" or "hacer saltar la liebre"
saludos
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  #14  
Old June 30, 2008, 04:08 PM
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Thanks, Sosia. Tirar de la manta may work, but it may not be the exact equivalent. The folks on the Internet say that this phrase means 'to blow the whistle'. This usually means that someone has notified (or is about to notify) the authorities (police) about illicit activity. It can be used in the office, too, where the authority is the boss and the illicit activity is an infraction of office policy.

When we spill the beans (or let the cat out of the bag), we usually mean that we are divulging a secret we weren't supposed to (by design or by accident).
For example:
John's birthday surprise was spoiled because his wife spilled the beans (she either told John herself, or she told someone else and that person couldn't keep the secret).

Explícanos que quieren decir esas frases que pusiste, por favor.

Last edited by Rusty; July 01, 2008 at 07:13 AM.
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  #15  
Old June 30, 2008, 04:28 PM
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He descuebierto tu maldad Elaina, Is only a Joke.
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  #16  
Old June 30, 2008, 11:54 PM
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Yes Rusty
"Tirar de la manta" is telling a financial/political secret. Usually used as warning, asking for financial/political protection/advantages "Si no me proteges de mis enemigos, tiraré de la manta"

Quote:
Explícanos que quieren decir esas frases que pusiste, por forfi.
No entiendo.

Saludos
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  #17  
Old July 01, 2008, 07:20 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sosia View Post
Yes Rusty
"Tirar de la manta" is telling a financial/political secret. Usually used as warning, asking for financial/political protection/advantages "Si no me proteges de mis enemigos, tiraré de la manta"

Saludos
Thanks, Sosia. I've added 'blow the whistle' to the idiom list with 'tirar de la manta' as its translation.

The sentence you didn't understand was just asking you to explain the two sentences you posted earlier so that I could understand them better. I suppose you didn't understand the last two words at the end. Those words, I've learned, mean by forfeit. My intention was to say please in a funny way. I failed.
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  #18  
Old July 01, 2008, 09:29 AM
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Youg "posh" girls usually shrink " por favor" to "porfa" or "porfi" saying "porfa, haz XXXX" or "porfi, haz XX", but I have neve heard " por forfi"

Saludos
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  #19  
Old July 01, 2008, 09:41 AM
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We have valley girls here, I think to similar effects. It's a specific accent and amazingly it's nationwide, but especially strong in Manhattan and Los Angeles.
Otra pregunta:
Ejemplo: El niño hizo saltar la liebre que ibamos tener una fiesta de sorpresa para su primo.
Se puede decir: Cuando empezó hablar de la fiesta de sorpresa para su primo, el niño inocentamente tiró de la manta?
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  #20  
Old July 01, 2008, 10:27 AM
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no, "tirar de la manta" implies an intention, a will.
For not wanted/innocent leak of information, the usual is Gemma's way:
"cuando el niño empezó a hablar de la fiesta, se le escapó que habría payasos"
saludos
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