recuperar el aliento
/rekupeɾaɾ el aljento/from spelling rules
To catch your breath in Spanish is recuperar el aliento.
This phrase is used both for physical recovery after exercise and metaphorically for pausing after a period of intense activity or excitement.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb recuperar (to recover) and el aliento (the breath).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, recuperar el aliento is used to convey the meaning of 'catch your breath'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the definite article el (the) instead of a possessive adjective like tu (your) to indicate whose breath is being recovered.
Did you know?
- While aliento means 'breath' in this phrase, the verb alentar means 'to encourage'. In Spanish, giving someone heart and breath is the same as cheering them on.
- The word el in this phrase is often mistaken by English speakers as being related to the Arabic article 'al-', but it actually descends from the Latin 'ille'.
- In certain Spanish-speaking contexts, you might use aliento to describe more than just breathing, such as the 'breath' or 'spirit' of a person's movement.
Examples in context
- Discúlpeme, necesito un momento para recuperar el aliento.Excuse me, I need a moment to catch my breath.
- Chicos, vamos a descansar un momento y tomar aire.Guys, let's take a moment to catch our breath and rest.
- Necesito sentarme para recuperar el aliento.I need to sit down to catch my breath.
- Espera un momento para recuperar el aliento.Wait a moment to catch your breath.
- No podías ni recuperar el aliento después de correr.You couldn't even catch your breath after running.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are walking uphill after a long hike.
- Alejandro¡Qué subida tan dura! Necesito recuperar el aliento.What a hard climb! I need to catch my breath.
- LucíaYo también, vamos a descansar un poco.Me too, let's rest a little.
- Alejandro¿Crees que ya puedes recuperar el aliento, Lucía?Do you think you can catch your breath yet, Lucía?
- LucíaSí, ya me siento mucho mejor.Yes, I feel much better now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aliento, el, recuperar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
