quítate de en medio
/kitate de en medjo/from spelling rules
The phrase "get out of my way" in Spanish is quítate de en medio.
This phrase is used as a command to tell someone to move so that you can pass through.
Which one should you use?
A common alternative to the default form is hazte a un lado, which means "step aside" or "move to the side".
Did you know?
- Spanish borrowed medio directly from Latin rather than evolving it naturally. This happened because the expected evolved forms would have sounded too much like the Spanish verb mear, meaning 'to piss'.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, if you want to be more polite while asking someone to move, you might use permiso instead of the more forceful quítate.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, shouting quítate without the rest of the phrase is an extremely blunt command. Using the full phrase quítate de en medio can sometimes sound more like a specific direction than a rude shout.
Examples in context
- ¡Oye, déjame pasar!Hey, let me pass!
- ¡Quítate de en medio, que tengo prisa!Get out of my way, I'm in a hurry!
- Oye, quítate de en medio para poder pasar.Hey, get out of my way so I can pass.
Example conversation
Daniel is trying to walk through a crowded hallway in a train station.
- Daniel¡Quítate de en medio, que no puedo pasar!Get out of my way, I can't pass through!
- María¡Perdona, Daniel! No te había visto.Sorry, Daniel! I hadn't seen you.
- DanielNo pasa nada, pero muévete un poco.It's okay, but move a little bit.
- MaríaVale, ya me aparto.Okay, I'm moving out of your way now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, en, medio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
