a espaldas: meaning & examples

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Language: Spanish

Meanings:

  • 1.

    SpainLatin Americaneutral
    • Behind someone's back; without their knowledge or consent, often implying secrecy or betrayal.
    • Conducted out of view or awareness of the person concerned, frequently to their detriment.

    Examples

    Beta

    • Hablaron a espaldas de Marta para planear la fiesta sorpresa sin que ella se enterara.

      They talked behind Marta's back to plan the surprise party without her knowing.

    • No me gusta que tomen decisiones a espaldas del equipo; todos deberíamos estar informados.

      I don't like them making decisions behind the team's back; we should all be informed.

    • Descubrí que habían hablado a espaldas mías sobre mi posible despido en la empresa.

      I discovered they had talked behind my back about my possible dismissal from the company.

  • 2.

    SpainLatin Americaneutral
    • Literally, on the back of someone or something; situated at or carried on the rear part.

    Examples

    Beta

    • Llevaba la mochila a espaldas mientras caminaba por el sendero del bosque.

      He carried the backpack on his back while walking along the forest path.

    • El cartel estaba colocado a espaldas de la entrada principal para que solo los que entraban lo vieran.

      The sign was placed on the back of the main entrance so only those entering could see it.

    • Los niños se sentaron a espaldas de la profesora durante la excursión para descansar un poco.

      The children sat with their backs to the teacher during the field trip to rest a bit.

    • El perro se puso a espaldas del dueño mientras esperaba la orden para salir a pasear.

      The dog positioned itself behind the owner while waiting for the order to go for a walk.

Examples:

  • ES: Odio tener que escondernos a espaldas de la gente.
    EN: I hate it the way we've got to hide behind folk's backs.
  • ES: Puede estar haciendo esto a espaldas de esa mujer.
    EN: He may be doing this behind that woman´s back.
  • ES: No debió dejar esta pistola sobre el escritorio a espaldas suyas.
    EN: You should not have let this gun remain on the desk behind your back.
  • ES: ¿Creyó que lo emplearía como intermediario para comprar un collar a espaldas de mi esposo?
    EN: How could you believe I'd employ you as a go-between to buy a necklace behind my husbanïs back?
  • ES: Pero no pueden decir que yo haría algo a espaldas de nadie.
    EN: But the one thing they can't say is that I ever do anything behind anyone's back.
  • ES: Yo le enseñé algunos pasos a espaldas del papá.
    EN: I taught her a few steps when her father wasn't around.
  • ES: ¿Admite que colaboró, a espaldas del gobierno, con un traidor que negociaba con una potencia extranjera?
    EN: In short, you admit going behind the back of your government to join hands with a traitor who was making overtures to a foreign power.
  • ES: Es intolerable la manera en que la gente va por ahí diciendo, a espaldas de uno, cosas que son completamente ciertas.
    EN: It's monstrous the way people go about nowadays saying things behind one's back that are absolutely and entirely true.
  • ES: Nunca vuelvas a mirarme a espaldas de Liyan,
    EN: Don´t come to see me again behind Liyan´s back.
  • ES: El susodicho Calvin Cooke, alrededor del 23 de Mayo de 1948, ...en el Condado de Shoreham, Territorio de Pennsylvania, ...con plena voluntad, a espaldas de la ley y criminalmente, ...y con premeditada malicia, asesinó a Catherine Cooke, un ser humano.
    EN: That the said Calvin Cooke, on or about, the 23rd May 1948. That in the county of Shoreham, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Did willfully, unlawfully and feloniously.
  • ES: ¿Mentir, intrigar, llegar al placer, escondidos, a espaldas de todos?
    EN: Lying and cheating? Snatch at our pleasures when there's no one by to see.
  • ES: Es un sabueso. Qué mujercita. Y aquí enseguida descubrió el garito a espaldas del hotel.
    EN: Of course, here, he managed to find that little undercover place behind the hotel.
  • ES: Trabajó cantando en su club, o casa de apuestas o lo que sea que Ud. hacía, a espaldas de la policía.
    EN: She went to work singing at your nightclub or gambling joint or whatever it was you operated while the police turned their backs.
  • ES: ¿Qué dirías si supieras que hace muy poco Ordy hizo un trato a espaldas de Rusia para aliarse con Tito?
    EN: What would you say if I told you that a short time ago... Ordy was making a deal behind Russia's back to join up with Tito?
  • ES: Negocie a espaldas de Eichelberger.
    EN: Deal behind Eichelberger's back.
  • ES: Yo no hablo a espaldas de la gente.
    EN: I do not speak in the backs of people.
  • ES: Pero una nueva amenaza a espaldas de la Wehrmacht alemana lleva a Adolf Hitler a cambiar su estrategia.
    EN: But a new threat behind of the German Wehrmacht Adolf Hitler carried to change its strategy.
  • ES: Todos se ríen a espaldas de la Grisi.
    EN: All of Paris laughs at Grisi.
  • ES: Hay que ver lo que la mujer carga a espaldas del hombre si él se descuida.
    EN: Ain't it a caution what a woman'll load onto a man's back when he ain't looking?
  • ES: ¿Crees que lo haría a espaldas de mi propia madre?
    EN: My dear girl, you don't think I'd do it behind my own mother's back?

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Sourced from Wiktionary

Source: Wiktionary

a espaldas: Meaning, Examples & Usage (Spanish) | Idiomator