This week’s post presents\u00a0the last set expressions in Spanish using hands. Today’s picture shows us the Cave of Hands in Santa Cruz, Argentina, a pre-historical painting of hands dating from 13,000 to 9,000 years ago. It’s a great precursor of stencil painting widely used nowadays!<\/p>\n
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Estar a mano<\/b><\/span> (to be at hand)<\/strong>: When something is close enough to be reached by stretching your arm or, more figuratively, when it’s the first available thing. Also, when I\u00a0owe someone a favour and I\u00a0finally return it, then Nosotros\u00a0estamos\u00a0a mano<\/em>.<\/p>\n Example:\u00a0En todos los casos han sido asistidos por quien estaba a mano<\/em>: el padre, dos adolescentes que pasaban por all\u00ed o la hermana de la madre. (In all cases, they were assisted by whoever was at hand: the father, two teenagers walking by or the mother’s sister.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tener\u00a0la mano muy larga<\/span> (to have a long hand):\u00a0<\/strong>When someone is always taking more than what is being offered, to the point of stealing and\/or when someone can hit you with their hands very easily.<\/p>\n Example: La se\u00f1ora Guiomar tiene la mano muy larga<\/em> y, a la m\u00ednima contrariedad, se pone a repartir bofetadas. (Mrs Guiomar has a long\u00a0hand, and in the face of any setback she starts distributing\u00a0slaps.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Es mi mano derecha<\/b><\/span> (They’re my right hand): <\/strong>As in English, it means your\u00a0person of utmost trust, mostly at work.<\/p>\n Example:\u00a0La UCO confirma que ‘Bartolo’, mano derecha<\/em> de Aguirre, cobr\u00f3 una mordida de 60.000 euros de P\u00fanica. (The UCO confirms that “Bartolo”, right had to Aguirre, received a brive of 60,000 euros from the P\u00fanica network.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Estar atado de pies y manos<\/span> (to have feet and hands<\/b> tied):\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>This is used to justify why you cannot help someone or why you cannot make a change somebody asks you to do. It moves responsibility up to whoever tied your hands and feet.<\/p>\n Example:\u00a0El primer ministro ha lamentado p\u00fablicamente estar atado de pies y manos <\/em>a la hora de cambiar ciertas pol\u00edticas. (The primer minister has publicly regretted\u00a0to have his feet and hands tied in relation to changes to certain policies.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This week’s post presents\u00a0the last set expressions in Spanish using hands. Today’s picture shows us the Cave of Hands in Santa Cruz, Argentina, a pre-historical painting of hands dating from 13,000 to 9,000 years ago. It’s a great precursor of stencil painting widely used nowadays! Estar a mano (to be at hand): When something…<\/p>\n