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  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

play ball

Spanish translation: poner las manos a la obra (Argentina, se entiende por todas partes); ser jalador (México); soltar la sopa; arrimar (poner) el ho

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:play ball
Spanish translation:poner las manos a la obra (Argentina, se entiende por todas partes); ser jalador (México); soltar la sopa; arrimar (poner) el ho
Entered by: Michael Powers (PhD)

23:01 Dec 7, 2005
English to Spanish translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / United States
English term or phrase: play ball
Please choose a sociolinguistically equivalent idiom. The most important criterion is extension of usage. The more Spanish speaking populations where a term is used, the better. A secondary purpose is to learn the differences as to where which terms are used. Please comment on this, too.

Thank you,

Mike :)

Definition from Oxford Dictionary of Idioms in the figurative sense: "work willingly with others; cooperate. informal"
Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 05:09
poner manos a la obra
Explanation:
let's stop talking and start doing
Selected response from:

Chelin
Local time: 06:09
Grading comment
Muchísimas gracias a todos. Por supuesto "play ball" quiere decir "colaborar, cooperar", pero para mantener el mismo registro, escojo otras respuestas más informales.

Gracias otra vez.

Mike :)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +5Colaborar con alguien
Eugenio Llorente
4 +2poner manos a la obra
Chelin
4 +2ser buen compañero(a)/ser jalador(a) (México:coloquial)
Oso (X)
4 +1trabajar codo con codo con alguien
Ana Moreno
5soltar la sopa
Henry Hinds
4 +1"arrimar el hombro" (por conservar el mismo registro)
celiacp
5poner el hombro
Patricia Lucanera


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +5
Colaborar con alguien


Explanation:
To play the ball with somebody = colaborar

Eugenio Llorente
Spain
Local time: 11:09
Works in field
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  teju: Se rehusó a colaborar/cooperar.
2 hrs
  -> Gracias teju.
agree  Heidi C: más aún con el contexto. No creo que haya una expresión idiomática, y jugar con la expresión le daría demasiado peso: se refiere a esto: no colaboró, "se quitaron los guantes" y se les pasó la mano...
4 hrs
  -> Gracias por tu comentario, Heidi.
agree  Gabriela Rodriguez
4 hrs
  -> Gracias
agree  Carlos Segura: Cooperar o colaborar.
17 hrs
agree  Yvonne Becker
1 day 12 hrs
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
poner manos a la obra


Explanation:
let's stop talking and start doing

Chelin
Local time: 06:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 40
Grading comment
Muchísimas gracias a todos. Por supuesto "play ball" quiere decir "colaborar, cooperar", pero para mantener el mismo registro, escojo otras respuestas más informales.

Gracias otra vez.

Mike :)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  George Rabel: Creo que esto es lo que más encaja, sin mayor contexto. "Play ball¨ no siempre se utiliza en contexto de colaboración.
28 mins
  -> gracias! esa es la sensación que tengo yo también
agree  Daltry Gárate
5913 days
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
trabajar codo con codo con alguien


Explanation:
Sería otra opción. Saludos.

Ana Moreno
Local time: 11:09
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Gabriela Rodriguez
4 hrs
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
ser buen compañero(a)/ser jalador(a) (México:coloquial)


Explanation:
Hola Mike,
Más ideas.
Buena suerte y saludos del Oso ¶:^)

jalador, ra.
2. m. y f. Méx. Persona que se suma con entusiasmo a una empresa común. U. t. c. adj.
DRAE©

Oso (X)
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 136

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  gise: quiza tu opcion este bien , pero en argentina jalador significa consumir drogas del estilo de los sementos de contacto!!
1 hr
  -> Hola Gise, muchas gracias, sí, esto del lenguaje coloquial varía mucho entre países. Saludos cordiales a Argentina ¶:^)
agree  Rebeca Larios
1 hr
  -> Saludos y muchas gracias, Rebeca ¶:^)
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
soltar la sopa


Explanation:
because Abid refused to play ball = porque Abid no quiso soltar la sopa

No quiso cantar - no quiso decir la verdad

En este contexto.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs 24 mins (2005-12-08 03:26:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Ya que en el contexto desgraciadamente mis colegas andan todos despistados.

Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 03:09
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 58
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
"arrimar el hombro" (por conservar el mismo registro)


Explanation:
suerte!

celiacp
Spain
Local time: 11:09
Works in field
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Patricia Lucanera: De acuerdo
2 hrs
  -> gracias ;P
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13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
poner el hombro


Explanation:
En Argentina. En el DRAE está junto con "arrimar el hombro".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 hrs 10 mins (2005-12-08 13:12:25 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Puede ser también "cooperar", en el sentido en que la persona interrogada le diga a quienes lo están interrogando lo que necesitan saber. Y en otro registro, como sugiere Henry, "cantar". "Soltar la sopa" nunca lo escuché, me encantó!

Patricia Lucanera
Local time: 06:09
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
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