sal a tocar pasto
/sal a tokaɾ pasto/from spelling rules
The English phrase "go touch grass" is translated into Spanish as sal a tocar pasto.
This is a slang expression used to tell someone to leave the internet and return to the real world. It is often used to insult someone's social skills or to suggest they have spent too much time online.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of the English idiom. sal means "go out" (imperative), a tocar means "to touch" and pasto means "grass".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
This is a slang expression used primarily in online gaming and social media contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form sal a tocar pasto uses the informal singular imperative (tú) of the verb salir. If you are addressing a group of people online, you should use the plural imperative salgan a tocar pasto instead.
How do you pronounce it?
/sal a tokaɾ pasto/
Did you know?
- In some contexts, pasto is also used as a slang term for marijuana in several Latin American countries.
- While pasto means 'grass' in the Americas, people in Spain usually use the word césped for a lawn. Using pasto in Spain might sound like you are talking about livestock fodder rather than a garden.
- The word tocar may have an ancient connection to clothing. It is thought to have originated from a word meaning a 'headscarf' or 'wimple' before it became the standard verb for 'to touch'.
Examples in context
- Deja de discutir en Twitter y sal a tocar pasto.Stop arguing on Twitter and go touch grass.
- Estás demasiado obsesionado con el juego, sal a tocar pasto.You are too obsessed with the game, go touch grass.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are arguing about a video game forum.
- ElenaNo puedo creer que pelees por esto.I can't believe you're fighting over this.
- Alejandro¡Es que este usuario no tiene razón!It's just that this user is wrong!
- ElenaAlejandro, sal a tocar pasto.Alejandro, go touch grass.
- AlejandroEstá bien, me desconecto un rato.Fine, I'll disconnect for a while.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, pasto, sal, tocar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
