What does "a puertas" mean?

Used in the construction 'a puertas de' to mean on the eve of or shortly before an event; imminent or about to occur.

How is "a puertas" used in a sentence?

¡Orden, o llevaré a cabo este caso a puertas cerradas!

a puertas — meaning & examples

Language: es

Meanings:

1.
SpainLatin AmericaGeneralneutral
- Used in the construction 'a puertas de' to mean on the eve of or shortly before an event; imminent or about to occur.
Examples
Beta
- Estamos a puertas de un cambio importante en la empresa y todos estamos nerviosos.
  We are on the eve of an important change in the company and everyone is nervous.
- A puertas del invierno, la ciudad se prepara para las bajas temperaturas.
  On the brink of winter, the city is preparing for the cold temperatures.
- La firma del acuerdo está a puertas y todos esperan que sea un éxito.
  The signing of the agreement is imminent and everyone hopes it will be a success.
2.
SpainLatin AmericaGeneralneutral
- Used as part of fixed phrases such as 'a puertas cerradas' or 'a puertas abiertas' to indicate whether an event is private (behind closed doors) or public (with doors open).
Examples
Beta
- El partido se jugará a puertas cerradas debido a las restricciones sanitarias.
  The match will be played behind closed doors due to health restrictions.
- La conferencia será a puertas abiertas para que todos puedan asistir y participar.
  The conference will be held with doors open so that everyone can attend and participate.
- Decidieron celebrar el acto a puertas cerradas para evitar interrupciones inesperadas.
  They decided to hold the event behind closed doors to avoid unexpected interruptions.
3.
SpainLatin Americaneutral
- Literally, at or by the doors; in contexts implying knocking or calling at doors (used in both literal and figurative senses).
Examples
Beta
- Estaba parado a puertas de la casa, esperando a que alguien le abriera.
  He was standing by the door of the house, waiting for someone to open it.
- Golpearon fuerte a puertas del edificio para llamar la atención del guardia.
  They knocked loudly at the building’s doors to get the guard’s attention.
- Los vendedores ambulantes estaban a puertas del mercado ofreciendo sus productos.
  The street vendors were at the market’s doors offering their products.
- La niña se quedó a puertas del aula porque no pudo entrar a tiempo.
  The girl stayed at the classroom door because she couldn't enter on time.

Examples:

ES: ¡Orden, o llevaré a cabo este caso a puertas cerradas!
EN: [Laughter] ORDER, OR I'LL CONDUCT THIS CASE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS!
ES: La información de mi cliente sobre su testimonio... me obliga a exigir que este juicio continúe a puertas cerradas.
EN: My client's information About your testimony... Compels me to demand that this trial Continue behind closed doors.
ES: El juicio a puertas cerradas demostró, más allá de toda duda razonable, que Mijailov destruyó el matrimonio de mi cliente, y fue culpable de su colapso mental y material.
EN: The trial behind closed doors showed, Beyond reasonable doubt, That Mikhailov destroyed The marriage of my client, And was guilty Of her mental and material collapse.
ES: Debido a que esa parte del juicio principal, que tuvo lugar a puertas cerradas, estableció el motivo determinante... del acto de la acusada;
EN: Because part of the main trial, Which took place behind closed doors, Established the determining motive...
ES: Y eventos a puertas abiertas en Nueva York y picnics de todo el día en los bosques.
EN: And open house on New Year's, and all-day picnics in the woods.
ES: ¡Este proceso es a puertas cerradas!
EN: It's a closed court session !
ES: Don Michele, escucharé a la señorita a puertas abiertas.
EN: - In open court. Father Michele, I'll hear the girl... in open court.
ES: Nunca has tenido que llamar a puertas para que te escuchen.
EN: You never had to pound on doors to get people to listen to you.
ES: Caballeros, quiero que ambos abogados comprendan que este consejo de guerra... se realizará a puertas cerradas sin perjuicio hacia el acusado... sólo a causa de la naturaleza escandalosa de los cargos... y para no agraviar la moral pública.
EN: Now, gentlemen, I want counsel for both sides to understand that this court-martial is being held behind closed doors with no prejudice toward the accused, and solely because of the scandalous nature of the charges and to avoid offense to public decency.
ES: Llamar a puertas extrañas llevando malas noticias.
EN: Ringing strange doorbells and bringing bad news.
ES: Gabriella y yo vamos "en topless" cuando estamos a puertas cerradas!
EN: - Yes, Mother! Other people are waiting!
ES: No era necesario no especular lo que hacía el héroe, a puertas cerradas... bien tarde por la noche, cuando no podía dormir.
EN: No need not to speculate what your hero was doing... behind the doors... late at night when you couldn't sleep.
ES: Les digo: "Me da igual lo que hagan en privado, a puertas cerradas".
EN: I say, "I don't care what you do in the privacy of your own home, behind closed doors."
ES: Además, todo ocurrió a puertas cerradas.
EN: Besides, it was a closed-door trial.
ES: Fue a puertas cerradas, pero... todo se terminó sabiendo.
EN: It was a closed-door trial, but the truth leaked out.
ES: Maldita sea, no pienso hablar a puertas cerradas en mi propia casa.
EN: Goddamn it, I'm not talking through closed doors in my own house.
ES: - Menos aún a puertas de unas elecciones.
EN: Not with the elections coming up.
ES: Todo esto podría haberse hecho a puertas cerradas.
EN: This whole procedure could just as easily have been a closed hearing.
ES: ¿Informo aquí, o será mejor a puertas cerradas, en el gabinete?
EN: Shall I give this information here, or maybe tete-a-tete in your office?
ES: Alguien tuvo que ir a su casa, hacer sonar la alarma y disparar para que se estableciera la falsa hora de la muerte que casualmente coincidió con esa discusión pública que ocurrió a puertas cerradas.
EN: Someone else had to go to his house, set off the alarm, fire the pistol to establish the false time of death, which happened to coincide with that very public argument behind those closed doors.

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Sourced from Wiktionary

a puertas — meaning & examples

Language: es

Meanings:

1.

Examples

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3.

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Related Idioms