What does it mean word for word?
The word soltó is the third-person singular preterite form of the verb soltar, meaning "released" or "let loose", indicating a completed action in the past. The phrase a los perros means "the dogs".
Which one should you use?
You can also use the verb phrase dejar salir in the form ¿Quién dejó salir a los perros? to mean "to let out" or "to allow to exit".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, there are several variations depending on the specific meaning intended: ¿Quién sacó a los perros a pasear? can mean "Who took the dogs out for a walk?", ¿Quién dejó libre a los perros? means "Who set the dogs free?" and ¿Quién soltó a los canes? means "Who let the canines loose?"
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase a los perros, the preposition a is required before los perros because the dogs are the direct object of the action and are being treated as animate beings.
Did you know?
- The word soltar can also mean 'to let go' of a secret or a piece of information, similar to the English phrase 'to spill the beans'.
- If you replace perros with the word canes, the sentence shifts from a casual observation to sounding like an official police report or a scientific statement.
- The Spanish word quién shares a common ancestor with the English word 'who' and the Latin 'quem', tracing back to a single Proto-Indo-European root.
Examples in context
- ¿Quién fue el desafortunado que soltó a los perros?Who was the unfortunate one who let the dogs out?
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are looking at a messy backyard.
- Mateo¿Quién soltó a los perros?Who let the dogs out?
- SofíaNo tengo idea, Mateo.I have no idea, Mateo.
- MateoEstán corriendo por todo el jardín.They are running through the whole garden.
- SofíaDebemos atraparlos rápido.We must catch them quickly.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, los, quién, CC BY-SA 4.0.
