Quedarse corto

[poli]

To come up short as in to come up short of a response (out of money if you're a
bookkeeper). Is that what this term means?

[chileno]

Yes. You got it.

[JPablo]

I agree,
quedarse corto: To stop short of, fall short, fall short of.

[Queli]

I understand that this is a thread from a while back but in case anyone is still following and may know the answer--can "quedarse corto" also mean "to understate"? As in, "Si dijera que ella era metiche, me quedaría corto"--for "If I said she was nosy, that would be an understatement." I saw this expression in a book recently and it was the only translation that made sense to me. And also--is it "corta" for a female or "corto" (adj. or adverb)?

[chileno]

I understand that this is a thread from a while back but in case anyone is still following and may know the answer--can "quedarse corto" also mean "to understate"? As in, "Si dijera que ella era metiche, me quedaría corto"--for "If I said she was nosy, that would be an understatement." I saw this expression in a book recently and it was the only translation that made sense to me. And also--is it "corta" for a female or "corto" (adj. or adverb)?

Yes, yes yes yes...

:)

[Rusty]

It seems to me that 'it would fall short' is another way to say 'it would be an understatement'.


Don't change the ending for an adverb. Adverbs are invariable.