Please walk hose back to machine

[Glen]

You know those machines at gas stations that sell - no longer dispense freely, but that's another story! - compressed air for inflating low tires? The hose retracts back into the machine after the user gives it a slight tug. Well, today I noticed a dual-language sign that said Por favor ponga la manguera atrás de la máquina. I immediately wondered about "Please put the hose behind the machine" (??) and got to thinking it ought to be something like

...deje que la manguera se retracte después de usarla

or _________________________________________ ?

Thanks for your suggestions

[Manuel]

I think "atrás" also means "back into" instead of just "behind."

So "ponerlo atrás" would mean something like "to put it back into (whatever it came out of)."

[Julvenzor]

Por favor ponga la manguera atrás de :bad: la máquina.
Por favor ponga la manguera detrás de :good: la máquina.

Utilizar "atrás de" en lugar de "detrás de" suele ser un fallo típico entre mexicanos.

Sí "atrás" (déjela atrás) puede significar "a las espaldas de"; pero nunca queda correcto añadirle una "de".

...deje que la manguera se retraiga (retraer) después de usarla.

"Retracte" pertenece al verbo "retractarse".

Un saludo.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Aunque es un uso común en México el que dices, no es el caso aquí, Julvenzor. ;)

"Put the hose back in the machine" podría ser: "Por favor regrese la manguera a la máquina", but many Latinos in the USA say "atrás"/"para atrás" for "back" all the time.

- Te llamo p'atrás. :crazy: -> I'll call you back. -> Te llamo después.