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Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

pasar/dar gato por liebre

English translation:

sell/give [someone] a pig in a poke

Added to glossary by Yvette Neisser Moreno
Mar 24, 2007 09:29
17 yrs ago
9 viewers *
Spanish term

pasar un gato por un liebre

Spanish to English Art/Literary Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
I'm looking for an English saying that has approximately the same meaning as this one, i.e., deception, trying to pass off a fake for the real thing.
Proposed translations (English)
4 +4 pig in a poke
4 +6 to pull the wool over someone's eyes/to hoodwink someone
5 to swindle
4 to use the old bait and switch

Discussion

Yvette Neisser Moreno (asker) Mar 27, 2007:
Hello all, I apologize for my delay in responding to the questions, couldn't get on the computer the past few days. This is for US English.
Carmen Schultz Mar 24, 2007:
oops, I meant to write "deceit" not 'deceipt'
Carmen Schultz Mar 24, 2007:
In the Spanish expression it is clear that aside from deceipt, there is a strong element of swindling and/or ripping off (see Cambridge Dict. and DRAE)
Carmen Schultz Mar 24, 2007:
Mediamatrix also has a good point in that parallel images are useful such as keeping the animal connection, if possible; in addition, I think it needs to be colorful to retain the idiomatic flavor.
Carmen Schultz Mar 24, 2007:
Actually, along the lines of what Patricia just said, this expression is simply stated without the article as "Pasar gato por liebre" - it really sounds awkward with the article
patricia scott Mar 24, 2007:
Yvette, it is pasar gato por liebre (not un liebre - liebre is fem.)
Carmen Schultz Mar 24, 2007:
who is your audience? Is it for US English or British English? It may make more sense to localize it or adapt it accordingly since it's so idiomatic

Proposed translations

+4
4 hrs
Selected

pig in a poke

If you want to retain an animal connection.

World Wide Words: Pig in a pokeWhat's the origin of the proverbial expression 'Don't buy a pig in a poke'?
www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-pig2.htm - 7k - Cached - Similar pages

Pig in a poke - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA common colloquial expression in the English language, to "buy a pig in a poke" is to make a risky purchase by not inspecting an item beforehand. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_in_a_poke - 17k - Cached - Similar pages

A pig in a pokeA pig in a poke - meaning and origin of this phrase.
www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/282900.html - 8k - Cached - Similar pages

Re: Pig in a pokeIn Reply to: Re: Pig in a poke posted by James Briggs on October 20, 2002 ... Indeed, a poke is/was a small pocket or sack. On a market, a pig would often ...
www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/16/messages/460.html - 7k - Cached - Similar pages

The Mavens' Word of the DayThe expression pig in a poke is part of a very old proverb having various forms, usually something like "to buy [or sell] a pig in a poke." ...
www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19990526 - 7k - Cached - Similar pages
Peer comment(s):
agree Carmen Schultz : I would go for this one also- it is colorful
1 hr
agree Francisco Rodriguez
2 hrs
agree Lydia De Jorge : means the same thing!
5 hrs
agree patricia scott
3 days 1 hr
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "This is great, thanks! Also, thank you for the very helpful links. I appreciate your taking the time."
+6
12 mins

to pull the wool over someone's eyes/to hoodwink someone

both of these are common in UK English....
Peer comment(s):
agree Lia Fail (X)
17 mins
thank you Lia!
agree patricia scott
27 mins
thank you Patricia!
agree Swatchka
3 hrs
thank you!
agree Ginnett Zabala
5 hrs
thank you Ginnett!
neutral Carmen Schultz : The term pulling the wool simply refers to deceiving s.one but the element of swindling&giving s.one less for their $$ isn't implicit as in Span. phrase:From DRAE-"Engañar en la calidad de algo por medio de otra cosa inferior que se le asemeja."
5 hrs
it is not implicit in Spanish either, it can be used in a general way too...thank you Carmen!
agree Gacela20
9 hrs
thank you!
agree Noni Gilbert Riley
1 day 6 hrs
thanks Ace!
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3 mins

to use the old bait and switch

this is a possibility that gives the idea -- it is used a lot in the US for when you are trying to make a deal and the salesperson makes an offer and when it comes to paying or receiving the merchandise, the deal is not what it started out to be and you end up losing or getting "screwed"

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Note added at 5 mins (2007-03-24 09:34:07 GMT)
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MORE: you can also say

"To fool" or "To dupe," which in essence mean the same as the expression of "using the old bait and switch" but I like the expression because it is more colorful

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Note added at 6 mins (2007-03-24 09:35:56 GMT)
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From Wordreference.com:

Hi jtorr, and welcome to the forum.

Are you looking for an internet application of this term, or a general application?

I found dar gato por liebre in wikipedia, which means to pass off a cat as a hare.

Yo entiendo esta técnica de la siguiente manera: El comerciante atrae al cliente con anuncios o promesas de un producto de alta calidad por un precio tan bajo que no habría ganancia. Una vez que el cliente esté "enganchado" (interesado), el comerciante le informa que se agotaron las existencias, pero que hay un producto suplente que sirve muy bien, a mayor precio.

A ver si alguien te puede ayudar mejor. Saludos.

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Note added at 5 hrs (2007-03-24 15:19:30 GMT)
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Under 6- this expression clearly shows the element of swindling or ripping off (not just deceiving)
Definition
gato m 1. (félido) cat; (macho) tomcat 2. (astuto) fox 3. (madrileño) man from Madrid 4. TéC (de coche) jack; (de carpintero) vice 5. (para dinero) moneybag 6. llevarse el ~ al agua inf to bring [o pull] it off; el Gato con Botas Puss in Boots; dar ~ por liebre a alguien inf to rip sb off; cuando el ~ no

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Note added at 5 hrs (2007-03-24 15:21:09 GMT)
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dar ~ por liebre.

1. loc. verb. coloq. Engañar en la calidad de algo por medio de otra cosa inferior que se le asemeja.
Note from asker:
Thank you for these very helpful definitions!
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96 days

to swindle

This would be a less idiomatic way of putting it.
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