dar la cara
/daɾ la kaɾa/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'show my face' can be translated into Spanish as dar la cara.
In Spanish, the phrase dar la cara is an idiom used to mean accepting responsibility for one's actions or being willing to face the consequences and criticism that follow. You can also use the structure dar la cara por alguien to express that you are taking responsibility for someone else's actions.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase dar la cara literally translates to 'to give the face'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'I show my face' in the first person, you must conjugate the verb dar to doy la cara.
How do you pronounce it?
/daɾ la kaɾa/
Did you know?
- While dar la cara means taking responsibility, the opposite action of hiding or avoiding a problem is often expressed as dar la espalda, which means 'to give the back'.
- The word cara is derived from the Ancient Greek word kára, which originally meant 'head' instead of 'face'.
- A person who refuses to dar la cara might be called escurridizo, a term that literally means 'slippery'.
Examples in context
- Debo dar la cara por mis errores.I must take responsibility for my mistakes.
- No voy a dar la cara por él.I am not going to take the heat for him.
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are discussing a mistake made at work.
- Daniel¿Vas a dar la cara ante el jefe?Are you going to face the boss?
- LucíaSí, tengo que dar la cara por lo ocurrido.Yes, I have to take responsibility for what happened.
- DanielEs lo más valiente que puedes hacer.It is the bravest thing you can do.
- LucíaLo sé, Daniel, no puedo huir de esto.I know, Daniel, I cannot run away from this.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cara, dar, dar la cara, la, CC BY-SA 4.0.
