Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

dejar a pata

English translation:

to leave someone in the lurch

Added to glossary by Wendy Gosselin
Mar 18, 2016 21:15
8 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Spanish term

dejar a pata

Spanish to English Other Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
This is from a text about a show by contemporary artist from Argentina:

La galería nos dejó solos y a pata: ninguna de las obras llevan nombre o referencia alguna. Tampoco contamos con texto curatorial que nos sirva como guía de ruta para recorrer algo que se nos aparece como una gran cebolla de varias capas. Entonces, ¿cómo escribir sobre lo que no se nombra? ¿Apelando a la confianza y la intuición? ¿Dejando de lado titánicos mandatos superyoicos y ese deseo irrefrenable (e irreal) por abarcarlo todo? Dentro de la dificultad planteada también podemos tomar la carta de invitación hacia un intento más liberador.

Proposed translations

+1
23 mins
Selected

to leave someone in the lurch

no me dejes a pata don´t leave me in the lurch
Peer comment(s):

agree AllegroTrans
1 day 1 hr
Thank you, AllegroTrans !
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Perfect thanks!"
-2
38 mins

leave someone without transportation(on foot)

This idiomatic expression refers to someone who does not have a car or ay other means of transport. They get around when some other person takes them. In this case, they were left behind at some and either there is no bus service or other way of transportation. So they were left "a pata" meaning literally on foot.Or in normal Spanish it is "a pie."
Peer comment(s):

disagree Carol Gullidge : Not in this context!
9 hrs
disagree AllegroTrans : it can mean that, but not here
1 day 54 mins
Something went wrong...
+7
1 hr

leave someone high and dry

I think you may want to use this expression here.
Peer comment(s):

agree Muriel Vasconcellos
1 hr
agree Charles Davis : I was thinking maybe "left us to fend for ourselves", but I don't think it's any better than this and maybe not as good.
1 hr
agree Jennifer Levey : Best option on the page so far, by far!
3 hrs
agree Marcelo González
3 hrs
agree Carol Gullidge
9 hrs
agree neilmac
10 hrs
agree AllegroTrans
1 day 19 mins
Something went wrong...
+2
7 hrs

up in the air

I would say

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Note added at 7 hrs (2016-03-19 04:29:32 GMT)
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as I see it, this would work
Peer comment(s):

agree Charles Davis : I think it would
12 hrs
thanks Charles
agree AllegroTrans
18 hrs
thanks AT
Something went wrong...
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