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They called him names behind his back.

Spanish translation: Le ponían apodos a sus espaldas

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:They called him names behind his back.
Spanish translation:Le ponían apodos a sus espaldas
Entered by: mslang

13:40 Feb 19, 2004
English to Spanish translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / literature
English term or phrase: They called him names behind his back.
He began to realize some thought figure skating was strictly for girls. They called him names behind his back. He felt his face get red and wanted to answer some of the insults with his own insults.
Vanessa Wagenknecht
United States
Local time: 23:28
le ponían apodos (sobrenombres) a sus espaldas
Explanation:
suerte
Selected response from:

mslang
United States
Grading comment
Muchas gracias a todos! Como es un libro para niños, esta traducción me parece la más directa y apropiada. Gracias por todas las alternativas! :)
Vanessa
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +4le ponían apodos (sobrenombres) a sus espaldas
mslang
5 +3Lo insultaban por detrás
Isabelle DEFEVERE (X)
5 +3le ponían apodos peyorativos a sus espaldas
María T. Vargas
4 +1le aguijoneaban a sus espaldas
Amanda Tozer
5A espaldas le apodaban insultos.
Reinaldo Quiles
5(Post grading) hablaban mal de él / lo ponían verde a sus espaldas/ su espalda
dawn39 (X)
4le decian nombretes cuando el no estaba
Gabo Pena


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
they called him names behind his back.
le ponían apodos (sobrenombres) a sus espaldas


Explanation:
suerte

mslang
United States
Works in field
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 19
Grading comment
Muchas gracias a todos! Como es un libro para niños, esta traducción me parece la más directa y apropiada. Gracias por todas las alternativas! :)
Vanessa

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  María Gianetto: creo que es la traducción perfecta
4 mins
agree  Eugenia Rodriguez
6 mins
  -> muchas gracias Eugenia :)
agree  gmedina
14 mins
  -> gracias
agree  Ana Juliá
4 hrs
neutral  dawn39 (X): "to call someone names" es "hablar mal de alguien" o, en lenguaje coloquial, "ponerlo verde". Buen día :)
8 hrs
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Lo insultaban por detrás


Explanation:
Lo insultaban a sus espaldas.

espero que te ayude.

Isabelle DEFEVERE (X)
Spain
Local time: 05:28
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Patricia Baldwin
3 mins
agree  Ana Juliá: Me gusta más "a sus espaldas". :-))
4 hrs
agree  dawn39 (X): esta es la idea. Un saludo, Isabelle :)
8 hrs
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
le aguijoneaban a sus espaldas


Explanation:
a nice descriptive verb meaning to goad or provoke...to needle someone....

Amanda Tozer
Local time: 05:28
Works in field
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  dawn39 (X): también se dice así. Un cordial saludo, Amanda :)
8 hrs
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
A espaldas le apodaban insultos.


Explanation:
Otra opcion que me suena un poco mas como literatura.

Reinaldo Quiles
United States
Local time: 23:28
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  dawn39 (X): no me suena esta expresión... Un cordial saludo :)
8 hrs
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14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
they called him names behind his back.
le ponían apodos peyorativos a sus espaldas


Explanation:
Yo lo diría así porque los apodos o sobrenombres pueden ser simpáticos, cariñosos, etc. (como cordobesa lo sé bien) pero en inglés la expresión tiene una connotación peyorativa. Espero te sirva. Pampi

María T. Vargas
Spain
Local time: 05:28
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 40

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Refugio
13 mins
  -> Thanks, Ruth
agree  Ana Juliá
3 hrs
agree  dawn39 (X): así es, María. Hay apodos muy lindos."To call someone names" es "hablar mal de alguien" o "ponerlo verde". Buen día :)
8 hrs
  -> Thanks Dawn
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
le decian nombretes cuando el no estaba


Explanation:
=8^J

Gabo Pena
Local time: 20:28
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  dawn39 (X): en Latinoamérica a los apodos los llaman "nombretes", como "arañita", "barriga de leche", pero pueden ser simpáticos. En este caso al pobre lo están poniendo verde... Un cordial saludo :)
2 hrs
  -> gracias! en el caribe nombretes son de caracter negativos, y apodos pueden ser negativos o no
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
(Post grading) hablaban mal de él / lo ponían verde a sus espaldas/ su espalda


Explanation:
Hola, Vanessa.

TO CALL S.O. NAMES = poner verde a alguien / hablar mal de alguien

BEHIND ONE´S BACK = por detrás de uno / a espaldas de uno
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
"Mis hermanos estaban acobardados y por no contradecirlo,se callaban y
luego **a la espalda lo ponían verde**".
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
"RUMORES: **Hablar mal de la persona a su espalda**; Difusión de rumores".
=======================
Posible traducción:

"Lo ponían verde a sus espaldas / en cuanto se daba media vuelta"
=========================
Un saludo.
:)









    Reference: http://www.bipolarweb.com/Mi%20historia/Maribel.htm
    Reference: http://es.geocities.com/docu1_asacamt/IIJORN_vilches.doc
dawn39 (X)
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 20
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