las damas primero
/las damas pɾimeɾo/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'ladies first' is translated into Spanish as las damas primero.
Meaning: Translations (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of las (the, feminine plural), damas (ladies) and primero (first).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, the phrase Damas primero is used to express the concept of giving women priority.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this idiomatic expression, the word primero remains in the masculine singular form even though it modifies the concept of 'first'.
How do you pronounce it?
/las damas pɾimeɾo/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word damas is used to refer to the game of 'checkers'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, using the word dama to describe a woman in casual conversation can actually sound overly formal or even slightly sarcastic, depending on the tone.
- The word primero is a 'doublet' of the word primario, meaning they both descend from the same Latin root 'primarius' but evolved through different paths in Spanish.
Examples in context
- Las damas primero.Ladies first.Tatoeba #871573 by Kokoo, translation #54331 by CK
- ¡Las damas primero!Ladies first!Tatoeba #956729 by hundo, translation #666596 by Manfredo
- Después de usted, las damas primero.After you, ladies first.
Example conversation
Alejandro holds the door open for María at a restaurant.
- MaríaGracias, Alejandro.Thank you, Alejandro.
- AlejandroDe nada, las damas primero.You're welcome, ladies first.
- MaríaEres muy amable.You are very kind.
- AlejandroEs un placer.It is a pleasure.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries las, primero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
