Idiomatic sentences Spanish-English. Charlie, your teacher of English # 1
Cambiar de manos: to change hands ([for something] to be sold or passed from owner to
owner: We built this house in 1970, and it has never changed hands)
Comprometerse a algo/hacer algo: to commit oneself to sth/doing sth (I commit myself
to doing what it takes)
Dejar mucho que desear: to leave a lot to be desired (to be much worse than you would
like: Apparently, Megg's cooking leaves a lot to be desired)
Dejar huella (histórica): to go down in history.
Dentro de mucho tiempo: in a very long time.
Meterse en líos/problemas: to get into trouble with sb (To get into a bad or dangerous
situation: we can do about it without getting into trouble with the Senate ...)
Exento del servicio militar: Exempt from military service.
Ser retirado de la circulación en: The book was removed from circulation in.......
Porque hubo muchas protestas/quejas debido a su contenido criminal: because there
were many complaints because of its criminal content.
Retroceder en la historia: to go back in history.
Aprovechar cada ocasión para: to seize every (Natives who seize every occasion to
perpetrate murders)
Aprobar una ley: to sign a proposed into law /pass a bill (a statute in draft before it
becomes law) into law
Tratar con guante blanco: to treat/handle sb with kid gloves (to deal with someone very
gently or carefully While he treated writers with kid gloves, he was unpleasant to
everyone else. )
A mis 20/25/30/etc. años de edad: at my 20/etc. years of age....
En ausencia de..: in the absence of (In the absence of love nothing else matters)
Pensar detenidamente en: to think through about sth (Pakistani policy makers have to
think through about what to do next)
A continuación, después (de una situación): Next (afterwards, then, later, following,
subsequently, thereafter, from that time on: I don't know what to do next.)
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