Phrase · 🧩 Idioms for attitudes and reactions
Metí la pata al preguntarle por su ex.
I put my foot in it when I asked her about her ex.
C1admitting a blunderinformallearned as a wholeAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
MetíverbI put (in)meter · past · 1st sing.ladeterminertheel · fem. · sing. · definitepata1nounpaw; (meter la pata) to blunderfem. · sing.al2prepositionto theapreguntarleverbto ask him/herpreguntar · infinitivepor3prepositionfor, by, through, because ofsudeterminerhis, her, its, your, their3rd sing.exnounex (former partner)sing..
- al → preguntarle: al + infinitive
- preguntarle → por: preguntar por
Word for word: “I put in the paw when asking her about her ex.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1meter la pata = to put your foot in it (lit. put in the paw).
- 2al + infinitive = when, at the moment of.
- 3preguntar por alguien = to ask about someone.