vete a saber: meaning & examples

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Language: Spanish

Meanings:

  • 1.

    SpainLatin Americaneutralliteral
    • Literally, 'go to know'; an imperative construction that has no literal idiomatic force outside fixed uses.

    Examples

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    • Cuando me dijeron 'Vete a saber qué pasó', no entendí la expresión literal y pregunté su significado.

      When they told me 'Go to know what happened,' I didn't understand the literal expression and asked for its meaning.

    • En el libro antiguo, aparece la frase 'Vete a saber' usada como una orden sin contexto claro.

      In the old book, the phrase 'Vete a saber' appears used as an imperative without clear context.

    • El cartel en la pared decía simplemente 'Vete a saber', lo que causó confusión entre los visitantes.

      The sign on the wall simply said 'Go to know,' which caused confusion among visitors.

    • En la gramática, la expresión 'Vete a saber' se estudia como un imperativo compuesto sin uso idiomático.

      In grammar, the expression 'Vete a saber' is studied as a compound imperative without idiomatic use.

  • 2.

    SpainLatin Americacolloquialinformal
    • Used to express uncertainty or ignorance about a cause, place, time, or reason; 'who knows', 'your guess is as good as mine', or 'there is no way of knowing'.

    Examples

    Beta

    • Vete a saber cuándo llegará el paquete con tanta demora en el servicio postal.

      Who knows when the package will arrive with such delays in the postal service.

    • No sé por qué no contestó el teléfono; vete a saber qué le habrá pasado.

      I don't know why he didn't answer the phone; your guess is as good as mine what might have happened.

    • ¿Vete a saber dónde estará Juan a esta hora? No contesta los mensajes ni las llamadas.

      Who knows where Juan might be at this hour? He doesn't answer messages or calls.

Examples:

  • ES: Se le trataba muy bien aquí, pero un día le dio la locura, o vete a saber.
    EN: We looked after him well, but one day he got depressed.
  • ES: "¡La escuela, las fiestas... despúes, vete a saber qué!
    EN: First the classrooms, then the school dances. You know what after that. Trent!
  • ES: Es mejor que tu madre no haya venido, vete a saber lo que me habría dicho.
    EN: Lucky your mother didn't come or God knows what she'd have told me!
  • ES: Algún marinero de New London o vete a saber de dónde.
    EN: Some sailor from New London or somewhere.
  • ES: Es una convención absurda de vete a saber cuándo.
    EN: It's a ridiculous convention passed down from God knows where.
  • ES: No veo a Wilson, pero con lo oscuro que está ahí fuera, vete a saber.
    EN: Well, there's, uh, no sign of Wilson, but it's so dark out there, how could you tell?
  • ES: - Si no estoy, vete a saber.
    EN: - If I'm out, well, who knows.
  • ES: Y además, tiene escopetas y vete a saber, la tira.
    EN: And also he has shotguns and who knows what else.
  • ES: Con esta zorra no voy a poder dormir jamás, si sale a estas horas, a hacer vete a saber qué...
    EN: I will never sleep again with this bitch, who leaves at any time, to who knows where...
  • ES: Pero vete a saber cuánto tardan allí.
    EN: - Washington? How 'bout that? - Yeah,
  • ES: Hay unos números al lado, pero vete a saber qué son.
    EN: There are some numbers, but they could be anything.
  • ES: Pero él la quería, vete a saber por qué.
    EN: She was no use to him, but he loved her. Who knows why?
  • ES: Ustedes neoyorquinos se creen que pueden entrar donde quieren,... romper las verjas, molestar al ganado,... dormir donde quieren con... vete a saber quién.
    EN: You New Yorkers think you can trespass on people's property, break down their fences, fool around with their cattle, spend the night in their fields with I don't know what kind of a...
  • ES: Pero a veces, hay 2 o 3 pedruscos que suben hasta 50 metros de altura y vete a saber dónde pueden caer.
    EN: But sometimes there are a couple that end up going 50m in the air, and who knows where they'll land.
  • ES: Porque en mi situación, vete a saber de qué intentarán culparme.
    EN: But because in my position, you can't tell what they'll try to hang on me.
  • ES: Eso creía yo, pero vete a saber que creía él....
    EN: AND SO DID I, BUT HE SEEMS TO BELIEVE WHOM GOD JOINED...
  • ES: Se debió encontrar con él ayer, en algún momento, vete a saber en qué lugar.
    EN: He must have been with him sometime, someplace, yesterday.
  • ES: Ahora se ha ido a... vete a saber.
    EN: And now he's gone to... Well, who knows?
  • ES: Es un estafador y un granuja, y vete a saber qué más.
    EN: He's a swindler and a crook, and I don't know what else.
  • ES: ¡Uy, vete a saber!
    EN: Oh, who knows! ?

Related Idioms

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Sourced from Wiktionary

Source: Wiktionary

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