pisa el acelerador
/pisa el aθeleɾadoɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'step on it' can be translated into Spanish as pisa el acelerador.
The phrase pisa el acelerador can be used literally to instruct someone to step on a vehicle's accelerator pedal, but it is also frequently used idiomatically to tell someone to hurry up or act more quickly.
Meaning: to act quickly (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal instruction where pisa means 'step' or 'tread' and el acelerador means 'the accelerator'.
Which one should you use?
While pisa el acelerador is a standard way to express this, you may also encounter the colloquial alternative dale gas, which translates to 'give it gas'.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase pisa el acelerador, the word pisa is the imperative command form of the verb pisar (to step/tread) used for the informal 'tú' second person.
How do you pronounce it?
/pisa el aθeleɾadoɾ/
Did you know?
- While pisa el acelerador refers to a car, the similar colloquial phrase dale gas is often used to tell someone to hurry up even if they are walking.
- The word pisa traces back to the Latin word pinsō, which meant 'to pound' or 'to crush'.
- The verb pisar is used not only for the gas pedal but also for the brakes in the phrase pisar el freno, which means 'to step on the brake'.
Examples in context
- Le ruego que pise el acelerador. No podemos llegar tarde al aeropuerto.I kindly ask you to step on the accelerator. We cannot be late for the airport.
- Si quieres ganar la carrera, pisa el acelerador.If you want to win the race, step on it.
- Por favor, pisa el acelerador para llegar a tiempo.Please, step on it to arrive on time.
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are driving to a concert that is about to start.
- Elena¡Mateo, pisa el acelerador, que el concierto empieza ya!Mateo, step on it, the concert is starting now!
- MateoTranquila, Elena, ya estoy yendo rápido.Relax, Elena, I'm already going fast.
- ElenaNo te detengas, ¡necesitamos llegar pronto!Don't stop, we need to get there soon!
- MateoLo entiendo, voy a fondo.I understand, I'm going full speed.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries acelerador, el, pisa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
