Salir al paso

[poli]

Does this mean to worm one's way out of?
Example:Ha salido al paso de las polémica.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by poli

Does this mean to worm one's way out of?
Example:Ha salido al paso de las polémica.

No. It means, to obstruct the way, to oppose..

Salir del paso is what you want to use.

[laepelba]

Maybe I'm asking about something beyond my ability to understand at this point.... But, out of curiosity ... I understand that "salir del paso" means to obstruct ... and I understand that "polemica" means politics ... and it looks to me like the sentence is in the third person indicative perfect tense. Ugh! So in English, would the example be "It has obstructed the politics" or would it be "the politics have been obstructed"??

[poli]

I think it means weaseled his way out of a dispute. Polémico
means polemic (at opposite poles) not politics. Saliendo del paso,
however, is something a good politician does well.

[laepelba]

Okay - so I had to look up "polemic" in an English dictionary. (Sigh...) It would help my Spanish if I were actually good at speaking English. Anyway - I was getting asking if it was a passive sentence construction. You're saying it's not ... but that someone/something weasled its/his way out of this dispute. So if one of my students wanted to argue with me about a grading policy, I could "salgo del paso de las polémicas" to avoid the conversation that I know will be adversarial.... ??

[poli]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Okay - so I had to look up "polemic" in an English dictionary. (Sigh...) It would help my Spanish if I were actually good at speaking English. Anyway - I was getting asking if it was a passive sentence construction. You're saying it's not ... but that someone/something weasled its/his way out of this dispute. So if one of my students wanted to argue with me about a grading policy, I could "salgo del paso de las polémicas" to avoid the conversation that I know will be adversarial.... ??

You might say hypothetically: Yes the grading system is flawed, but currently as a teacher I am required to follow. In the future maybe we could work together to make the system more reflective of each individual students accomplishments. For now, howvever, we have to follow these guidelines. This would be weaseling your way out of a dispute or
saliendo al paso de la polémica.

[laepelba]

Okay - then I actually do understand. Amazing!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Maybe I'm asking about something beyond my ability to understand at this point.... But, out of curiosity ... I understand that "salir del paso" means to obstruct ... and I understand that "polemica" means politics ... and it looks to me like the sentence is in the third person indicative perfect tense. Ugh! So in English, would the example be "It has obstructed the politics" or would it be "the politics have been obstructed"??

Actually Salir al paso would mean to obstruct the way, to come out (someone or a problem) and get in someone's way.

Originally Posted by poli

I think it means weaseled his way out of a dispute. Polémico
means polemic (at opposite poles) not politics. Saliendo del paso,
however, is something a good politician does well.

Exactly, means to get out of a "problem", and usually it means you got out in good standing. And yes, politicians and diplomats do that extremely well.

Originally Posted by laepelba

Okay - so I had to look up "polemic" in an English dictionary. (Sigh...) It would help my Spanish if I were actually good at speaking English.

When people, like you, start getting another language, usually the native language also improves.

[poli]

Learning Spanish has definitely improved my English vocabulary.

So,salir al paso de means to obstruct
and salir del paso de means to metaphorically swerve. I'll have to remember that.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by poli

Learning Spanish has definitely improved my English vocabulary.

Same thing with my Spanisgh.

Originally Posted by poli

So,salir al paso de means to obstruct
and salir del paso de means to metaphorically swerve. I'll have to remember that.

Exactly!

Although I would've never used swerve... it seems to fill the purpose as an akin to salir del paso.

Also, salir del paso, means to leave the way free. How about that?

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by chileno

Same thing with my Spanisgh.



Exactly!

Although I would've never used swerve... it seems to fill the purpose as an akin to salir del paso.

Also, salir del paso, means to leave the way free. How about that?

Isn't "leave the way free" kind of the opposite of "to obstruct"?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

"Salir al paso" means to step on the way of someone else.

"Las palomas del parque te salen al paso para que las alimentes."
"The doves in the partk come to your way so you will feed them."

(A meeting with Hernán's politician in a hurry)
"Tuve que salirle al paso para poder hablar con él"
"I had to step on his way so I could talk to him"


"Salir del paso" is used when one has been through a difficult time but has come out with a favourable outcome... I think the similar expression in English is "to muddle through".

(Hernán's politician in a press conference)
"Lo pusieron en una situación difícil al preguntarle si había sido sobornado, pero salió del paso con respuestas evasivas."
"He was put in a difficult situation when they asked him if he had been bribed, but he muddled through with elusive answers."

[laepelba]

OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That makes SO much sense! (You are SO good with sample sentences!!)

Soooo ... "salir al paso" literally means to go and stand on the path the someone else is walking so that you get in their way and obstruct their progress down said path... Ah hah!!!

"Salir del paso" has quite a different sense ... that of someone (somewhat) successfully making their own way down a path, albeit a difficult path.

??

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Correct.

"Salir al paso" has a more physical idea of an encounter.

"Salir del paso" hase a more figurative sense of "dodging", I guess.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That makes SO much sense! (You are SO good with sample sentences!!)

Soooo ... "salir al paso" literally means to go and stand on the path the someone else is walking so that you get in their way and obstruct their progress down said path... Ah hah!!!

"Salir del paso" has quite a different sense ... that of someone (somewhat) successfully making their own way down a path, albeit a difficult path.

??

She's good, uh? What about me, ah? ah?

Oops there isn't a jealous smiley.

But, seriously now: she is excellent at those examples.

To me this board is supported by the knowledge of Angelica, Rusty and David. All three have different point of views and are excellent at explaining in their own way. :-)

I love it!

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by chileno

She's good, uh? What about me, ah? ah?

Oops there isn't a jealous smiley.

But, seriously now: she is excellent at those examples.

To me this board is supported by the knowledge of Angelica, Rusty and David. All three have different point of views and are excellent at explaining in their own way. :-)

I love it!

I love it, too! And about you ... you add personality, expertise, and challenge!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

I love it, too! And about you ... you add personality, expertise, and challenge!

Thank you.

Although, I think I just add challenge and humor...