about in the Oxford Spanish Dictionary

Translations for about in the English»Spanish Dictionary

I.about [Am əˈbaʊt, Brit əˈbaʊt] ADV about often appears as the second element of certain verb structures in English (fool about, knock about, move about, etc). For translations, see the relevant verb entry (fool, knock, move, etc)

1. about (approximately):

about

más o menos

about

aproximadamente

he's about my age

tiene más o menos mi edad

she must be about 60

debe (de) tener alrededor de or unos 60 años

she must be about 60

debe (de) andar por los 60 inf

at about six o'clock

alrededor de or a eso de las seis

at about six o'clock

sobre las seis Spain

there were about 12 of us

éramos unos 12

there were about 12 of us

éramos como 12

they should be arriving about now

deben (de) estar a punto de llegar

in about three hours

en unas tres horas

about a month ago

hace cosa de un mes

about a month ago

hará un mes

the soup must be about ready by now

la sopa tiene que estar ya casi lista

that's about it for today

eso es todo por hoy

about time too!

¡ya era hora!

2. about:

to be about to + infin I'm sorry, you were about to say something

perdón, ibas a decir algo

we were just about to start eating

estábamos a punto de empezar a comer

we were just about to start eating

justo estábamos por empezar a comer LatAm

I'm not about to mention it to her

no tengo la más mínima intención de mencionárselo

3.1. about (from one place to another):

the dog followed him about

el perro lo seguía a todas partes

she travels about a lot

viaja mucho

he knows his way about

conoce la ciudad (or la zona etc.)

she's very old and can't get about very easily

es muy mayor y le cuesta desplazarse

3.2. about (in various directions):

he was waving a knife about

blandía un cuchillo

she rummaged about in her bag

revolvió en el bolso

he glanced about nervously

miraba nervioso a su alrededor

4.1. about (in the vicinity, in circulation) esp Brit :

is Teresa about?

¿Teresa anda por aquí?

there's not much traffic about today

hoy no hay mucho tráfico

she's about somewhere, she's somewhere about

anda por aquí

I'm not usually about that early

no suelo estar allí/aquí tan temprano

there's a lot of flu about

hay mucha gente con gripe

he's very mean — there's a lot of it about

es muy tacaño — eso es algo que abunda

4.2. about (on all sides):

about esp Brit liter

por todas partes

II.about [Am əˈbaʊt, Brit əˈbaʊt] PREP

1.1. about (concerning):

about

sobre

about

acerca de

a book about Greece

un libro acerca de or sobre Grecia

what's the play about?

¿de qué se trata la obra?

he wants to see you — what about?

quiere verte — ¿acerca de qué?

she said nothing about that

no dijo nada acerca de or (con) respecto a or sobre eso

about tonight: are you coming?

(con) respecto a lo de esta noche ¿vas a venir?

what was all that shouting about?

¿a qué venían todos esos gritos?

what about Helen? isn't she coming?

¿y Helen? ¿no viene?

and Helen? — what about Helen?

¿y Helen? — ¿qué pasa con Helen?

that's what it's all about

de eso se trata

politics is all about persuading people

en política de lo que se trata es de convencer a la gente

I don't know what to buy her — what about a record?

no sé qué comprarle — ¿qué te parece or qué tal un disco?

she won — how about that!

ganó — ¡pues qué te parece! or ¡pues mira tú!

what he is/they are about I hope you know what you're about

espero que sepas lo que haces

I don't understand what he's about

no entiendo qué es lo que pretende

1.2. about (pertaining to):

there's something about him that I don't like

tiene algo que no me acaba de gustar

what's so unusual about that?

¿qué tiene eso de raro?

the place has a certain charm about it

el lugar tiene cierto encanto

2. about (engaged in):

while you're about it, could you fetch my book?

¿me traes el libro de paso?

while you're about it, could you fetch my book?

ya que estás ¿me traes el libro?

why did you take so long about it?

¿por qué tardaste tanto (en hacerlo)?

why did you take so long about it?

¿por qué demoraste tanto (en hacerlo)? LatAm

3.1. about (in, on, through) esp Brit :

they were playing about the house

estaban jugando en la casa

he wandered about the empty streets

recorrió las calles vacías

3.2. about (encircling):

about liter

alrededor de

3.3. about (on one's person) Brit:

do you have a pencil about you?

¿tienes un lápiz?

I.about-face [Am əˌbaʊtˈfeɪs, Brit əˌbaʊtˈfeɪs], Brit also about-turn [əˌbaʊtˈtɜːrn, əˌbaʊtˈtɜːn] N

1. about-face (reversal of policy):

about-face

cambio m radical de postura

to do an about-face

cambiar radicalmente de postura

2. about-face MIL:

about-face

media vuelta f

II.about face INTERJ MIL

about face

¡media vuelta!

see about VB [Am si -, Brit siː -] inf (v + prep + o)

1. see about (deal with):

a man came to see about the leaking roof

vino un hombre por lo de la gotera

don't worry, I'll see about it

no te preocupes, yo me encargaré del asunto

so you refuse to do it: well, we'll soon see about that!

con que te niegas a hacerlo: ya lo veremos …

2. see about (consider, decide):

may I borrow the car? — I'll have to see about that

¿me prestas el coche? — tendré que pensarlo

set about VB (v + prep + o)

1. set about (begin, tackle):

I spent a long time deciding how to set about the task

me llevó mucho tiempo decidir cómo acometer la tarea

we set about cleaning the room

nos pusimos a limpiar la habitación

how does one set about applying for the job?

¿qué hay que hacer para solicitar el trabajo?

2. set about (attack):

set about

atacar

set about

agredir

they set about him with sticks

empezaron a darle or a golpearlo con palos

come about VB [Am kəm -, Brit kʌm -] (v + adv)

1. come about (happen):

come about

ocurrir

come about

suceder

it came about that …

ocurrió or sucedió que …

how does that come about?

¿cómo es eso?

how does it come about that… ?

¿cómo es que …?

I don't understand why that should come about

no comprendo por qué habría de ocurrir eso

2. come about (change direction) NAUT:

come about ship/wind:

cambiar de dirección

I.face about VB [Am feɪs -, Brit feɪs -] Brit (v + adv) (turn)

face about soldiers:

dar media vuelta

II.face about VB [Am feɪs -, Brit feɪs -] Brit (v + o + adv) (cause to turn)

face about troops

mandar dar media vuelta a

fool about VB [Am ful -, Brit fuːl -] esp Brit

fool about → fool around

See also fool around

fool around VB [Am ful -, Brit fuːl -] (v + adv)

1. fool around (act foolishly):

fool around

hacer payasadas

fool around

hacer el tonto Spain

fool around

hacerse guaje Mex

children shouldn't fool around with electricity

los niños no deben jugar con la electricidad

2. fool around (be sexually involved):

girls who fool around

las chicas que andan con uno y con otro

he was fooling around with other women

tenía enredos or andaba con otras

I.go about VB [Am ɡoʊ -, Brit ɡəʊ -] (v + adv)

1. go about → go around

2. go about NAUT:

go about

virar

II.go about VB [Am ɡoʊ -, Brit ɡəʊ -] (v + prep + o)

1. go about (tackle, deal with):

go about task

acometer

go about task

emprender

you'll be able to persuade them if you go about it the right way

los vas a poder convencer si encaras las cosas bien

you're going about it the wrong way: lift this end first

lo estás haciendo mal, levanta esta punta primero

to go about -ing how would you go about solving this equation?

¿cómo harías para resolver esta ecuación?

2. go about (occupy oneself with):

to go about one's business

ocuparse de sus (or mis etc.) cosas

See also go around

I.go around VB [Am ɡoʊ -, Brit ɡəʊ -], Brit also go round VB (v + adv)

1. go around (move, travel, be outdoors):

go around

andar

we were advised to go around in twos or threes

nos aconsejaron que anduviéramos en grupos de a dos o tres

he went around to different publishers

fue a ver a varios editores

she goes around in a Cadillac

anda por ahí en un Cadillac

to go around with sb

andar con alguien

he goes around with some funny characters

anda con gente muy rara

to go around -ing

ir por ahí +  ger

you can't go around saying things like that!

¡no puedes ir por ahí diciendo esas cosas!

2. go around (circulate):

go around joke/rumor:

correr

go around joke/rumor:

circular

it's a bug that's going around

es un virus que anda (por ahí)

3. go around (be sufficient for everybody):

there are enough forks to go around

hay tenedores (suficientes) para todos

there aren't enough to go round

no alcanzan

there aren't enough to go round

no hay suficientes

she added some water to it to make it go around

le agregó agua para que diera or alcanzara para todos

4. go around (revolve):

go around wheel/world:

dar vueltas

I have this idea going around in my head

le estoy dando vueltas a esta idea

5. go around (visit):

go around

ir

I'll go around and see him

iré a verlo

we went around to Arthur's last night

anoche fuimos a casa de Arthur

II.go around VB [Am ɡoʊ -, Brit ɡəʊ -], Brit also go round VB (v + prep + o)

1. go around (turn):

go around corner

doblar

go around corner

dar la vuelta a

go around corner

dar vuelta CSur

go around bend

tomar

2. go around (avoid, make detour):

go around obstacle

rodear

go around obstacle

sortear

3. go around (visit, move through):

go around country/city

recorrer

in the afternoon we went around the castle

por la tarde visitamos el castillo

to go around the world

dar la vuelta al mundo

he went around the house looking for defects

recorrió la casa buscando defectos

he went around several companies trying to sell his idea

fue a or recorrió varias compañías tratando de vender su idea

get about VB [Am ɡɛt -, Brit ɡɛt -] Brit (v + adv, v + prep + o)

get about → get around

See also get around

I.get around VB [Am ɡɛt -, Brit ɡɛt -] (v + adv, v + prep + o)

1. get around (walk, move about) invalid/old person:

she finds it hard to get around

le cuesta caminar or andar

having a car enables her to get around a lot better

con el coche se puede desplazar or movilizar mucho mejor

it's the best way to get around the town

es la mejor manera de desplazarse or trasladarse en la ciudad

2. get around (travel):

you certainly get around in your job

tu sí que viajas con tu trabajo

how do you know that? — oh, I get around

¿cómo sabes eso? — soy un hombre/una mujer de mundo

3. get around (circulate):

it soon got around that he was having an affair

pronto corrió el rumor de que estaba teniendo una aventura

don't let it get around that …

que no se sepa que …

4. get around (gather in circle):

we can't all get around this table

no cabemos todos alrededor de esta mesa

5. get around (complete):

get around course/circuit

completar

II.get around VB [Am ɡɛt -, Brit ɡɛt -] (v + prep + o)

1. get around (avoid, circumvent):

get around difficulty/obstacle

sortear

get around difficulty/obstacle

evitar

get around rule/law

eludir el cumplimiento de

there's no getting around it: it was a terrible mistake

hay que reconocerlo or es un hecho insoslayable: fue un error garrafal

2. get around (persuade):

get around person

engatusar

III.get around VB [Am ɡɛt -, Brit ɡɛt -] (v + o + adv)

1. get around (cause to come, go):

get around plumber/police

llamar

I'll get the boxes around to you this evening

te haré llegar las cajas esta noche

2. get around (persuade, win over):

get around

convencer

I managed to get her around to my point of view

pude convencerla de que tenía razón

IV.get around VB [Am ɡɛt -, Brit ɡɛt -] (v + adv) (come, go)

get around

ir

get around to the hospital as quickly as possible

vayan al hospital lo más pronto posible

lie about VB [Am laɪ -, Brit lʌɪ -] Brit

lie about → lie around

See also lie around

lie around VB [Am laɪ -, Brit lʌɪ -] (v + adv)

1. lie around (be scattered):

lie around usu in -ing form

estar tirado

lie around usu in -ing form

estar botado LatAm excl RioPl

to leave things lying around

dejar las cosas tiradas (por ahí)

to leave things lying around

dejar las cosas botadas (por ahí) LatAm excl RioPl

2. lie around (be idle):

lie around

estar tumbado sin hacer nada

lie around

estar echado sin hacer nada

about in the PONS Dictionary

Translations for about in the English»Spanish Dictionary

I.about [əˈbaʊt] PREP

1. about (on subject of):

about

sobre

about

acerca de

a book about football

un libro sobre fútbol

what is the film about?

¿de qué trata la película?

to talk about cinema

hablar sobre cine

while he is about it Brit inf

mientras esté haciendo eso

2. about (surrounding):

about

alrededor de

the garden about the house

el jardín alrededor de la casa

3. about (in and through):

about

por

to go about a place

andar por un lugar

4. about (characteristic of):

that's what I like about him

eso es lo que me gusta de él

5. about Brit (with):

I have no money about me

no llevo dinero encima

Phrases:

how about that!

¡vaya!

what about it? (suggestion)

¿quieres/queréis?

what about it? (so what?)

¿y qué?

what about a drink?

¿qué tal si tomamos algo?

II.about [əˈbaʊt] ADV

1. about (around):

all about

por todas partes

to leave things lying about somewhere

dejar cosas tiradas por un sitio

to be the other way about

ser exactamente al revés

is Paul about?

¿está Paul por ahí?

2. about (approximately):

about

aproximadamente

about my size

más o menos de mi tamaño

round about 5 km

cerca de 5 kilómetros

about here

más o menos aquí

about 5 years ago

hace unos cinco años

about twenty

unos veinte

to be somewhere about

estar por aquí

to have had just about enough of sth

estar harto de algo

that's about it for today

eso es todo por hoy

3. about (almost):

about

casi

to be (just) about ready

estar casi listo

4. about (willing to):

not to be about to do sth

no estar dispuesto a hacer algo

5. about (on the point of):

to be about to do sth

estar a punto de hacer algo

about-face [əˈbaʊtfeɪs] N Am, Aus, about-turn [əˈbaʊttɜ:n, Am -tɜ:rn] N Aus, Brit

1. about-face MIL:

about-face

media vuelta f

2. about-face:

about-face opinion

cambio m drástico de opinión

about-face position

cambio m drástico de postura

pull about VB trans

pull about

maltratar

rush about VB intr

rush about

correr de acá para allá

look about VB intr

look about

mirar alrededor

lie about VB intr

1. lie about (be somewhere):

lie about

estar por ahí

2. lie about (be lazy):

lie about

holgazanear

slob about VB intr inf

slob about

holgazanear

jump about VB intr

jump about

dar saltos

I.mess about VB intr

mess about

hacer el tonto

II.mess about VB trans always sep

mess about

tratar mal

blunder about VB intr

blunder about

andar dando tropezones

about Examples from the PONS Dictionary (editorially verified)

to know what one is talking about

saber de lo que uno habla

not to know the first thing about sth/sb

no saber nada de algo/alguien

to keep sb in the picture (about sth)

mantener a alguien al tanto (de algo)

to come up with a line about sb/sth

salir con un comentario acerca de alguien/algo

he was very explicit about the plans

era muy categórico en cuanto a los planes

to have a fund of knowledge about sth

saber mucho de algo

to have no scruples (about doing sth)

no tener escrúpulos (en hacer algo)

he/she is about seventy years old

anda rodando los setenta años

just thinking about it makes me mad

me da rabia solo pensarlo

I haven't got a clue about physics

en física estoy en pañales

Monolingual examples (not verified by PONS Editors)

English

He writes well and regularly blogs about his life as a cabby.

theindependent.sg

The bus lines that serve the area carry about 5 million passengers per year as of 2012, which is a sufficient ridership for a tram line.

en.wikipedia.org

As a reviewer he was known for his generosity, giving the benefit of the doubt to performers, particularly when writing about young singers.

en.wikipedia.org

I took the announcement matter-of-factly, although wondering what it could be all about.

opinion.inquirer.net

His fiancee's family is having doubts about his fitness as a son-in-law and his parents are downcast because of his disability.

en.wikipedia.org

The cover of the '42 edition is distinguished from the '41 by a caveat about erratic availability printed in small red fonts.

en.wikipedia.org

Buses and taxis are available for going to sanctuary, form where in you have to walk about 3 km to reach inside the sanctuary.

en.wikipedia.org

They don't want us to get too big-headed about sharing it.

www2.ljworld.com

In short, the purpose of espionage is to gather knowledge about (an) organization(s).

en.wikipedia.org

Is an ad about the auto bailout more likely to persuade upscale or downscale voters?

www.slate.com