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Georgia

May 13, 2006, 2:55 PM

Post #1 of 9 (8826 views)

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tirar v. caerse

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Each day I learn something new. When I was a kid, living in Spain, if we dropped something, we'd say: se me cayo.[accent on last o] (I dropped it.) or Se le cayo [accent on last o] (he or she dropped it.) The other day my window glass lady was here and we paid her. Later the gardener said to me: Leticia tiro al suelo el dinero que Ud. le pago. I took this to mean that she threw the money down, that she was angry. But, no, I discovered that this is the common way of explaining that someone dropped something in Mexico. A surprise to me!

doogie

May 13, 2006, 3:44 PM

Post #2 of 9 (8818 views)

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Re: [Georgia] tirar v. caerse

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Well, that doesn't sound right to me, either. If you drop something you say "se me cayó". If you lose something you can say "se me perdió" or "lo tiré". Perhaps he meant she lost the money?
Doogie,
Tapatío de corazón

quevedo

May 13, 2006, 3:56 PM

Post #3 of 9 (8815 views)

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Re: [doogie] Surprise for me too

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If ella lo tiró al suelo, it means she threw it to the floor, not dropped it. She was not happy with what she tiró al suelo.

Cordiales,

Quevedo

(This post was edited by quevedo on May 13, 2006, 4:51 PM)

Georgia

May 13, 2006, 4:42 PM

Post #4 of 9 (8810 views)

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Re: [quevedo] Surprise for me too

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Well, that was my initial reaction. However, in the environs of Lake Chapala I have heard "tirar" used this way by Mexican locals on three occasions since then! Glad I'm not the only one surprised by the usage.

Georgia

May 13, 2006, 4:43 PM

Post #5 of 9 (8809 views)

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Re: [Georgia] tirar v. caerse

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By the way, I specifically clarified, ?por accidente? Si, was the answer.

quevedo

May 13, 2006, 4:57 PM

Post #6 of 9 (8805 views)

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Re: [Georgia] Perhaps...

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... A Leticia se le tiró al suelo...?

Saludos,

Quevedo

doogie

May 13, 2006, 5:12 PM

Post #7 of 9 (8803 views)

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Re: [Georgia] tirar v. caerse

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"Tirar" can be used in different ways to mean different things, from shooting a gun to spilling a liquid to throwing something or to losing something. It's in how you use it. If "Ella tiró el dinero al suelo" then she threw the money on the ground but if "Ella tiró el dinero en el suelo" then she dropped it on the ground and lost it.
Doogie,
Tapatío de corazón

Georgia

May 13, 2006, 6:39 PM

Post #8 of 9 (8794 views)

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Re: [quevedo] Perhaps...

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No. I am a careful listener and the expression surprised me. My original thought was that she was angry. So, I continued the conversation as if she were angry. This puzzled the gardener. Then I asked if "se le cayo el dinero?" Ah, si, tiro el dinero al suelo... was the answer. ?Por accidente? Si. ?Se le perdio? Si. Then the gardener replied: estuvo muy contenta cuanto se lo ensene.

As I said, I was confused. Then I heard it used the same way three more times this week.

Georgia

May 13, 2006, 6:40 PM

Post #9 of 9 (8790 views)

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Re: [doogie] tirar v. caerse

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I had never heard this distinction made ... and I've spoken Spanish all my life, but not Mexican Spanish. Interesting. Anyone else have the same observation about the preposition????