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Clase de oficina
May 22 19:07
1 mo ago
42 viewers *
Spanish term

guardarse la cara a...

Spanish to English Art/Literary Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
From a text by a Spanish writing. Here, she describes the scene on her mother's deathbed

Nueva ante su cuerpo yacente, desnuda de alegría, quise que supiera cosas que siempre oculté. Necesitaba oírme. Confirmarle que mi vida no era siempre fácil y que sabía que tampoco la suya lo había sido, aunque siempre nos guardáramos la cara la una a la otra.

Does it mean, as I suspect, put on a happy face for the other one, as in hide one's woes?

Thanks
Proposed translations (English)
3 +4 Hide true feelings
3 keep a discreet profile with each other
3 keep each other's secrets to themselves

Discussion

Domini Lucas May 23:
put on a brave face? hello all - I can't add anything to the Spanish, though I've looked through multiple dictionaries, books of idioms etc. out of interest. However, as 'hiding feelings' has been mentioned, I originally wondered whether it means they 'put on a brave face' given that their lives have not been easy. I know it that would normally be something like "poner al mal tiempo buena cara" or "poner cara de valiente", hence not offering as an answer. Just dropping into mix as a extra thought depending on the rest of their relationship. Seems like @Wendy had same thought, so I know it doesn't add much other than slightly different phrasing.
philgoddard May 22:
This very garbled entry suggests it means 'keep each other's secrets'.
http://www.wordmeaning.org/spanish/guardar la cara.htm

Proposed translations

+4
8 mins
Selected

Hide true feelings

Por el contexto, puedo suponer esta opción. Pero esperemos qué dicen otros.
Peer comment(s):
agree Anne Schulz : I agree with Wendy's and your understanding (with a CL of 2-3, because it is just empirical and I don't know this expression from other contexts).
7 mins
agree Elsa Caballero
4 hrs
agree Muriel Vasconcellos
12 hrs
agree Daniel Hall
1 day 3 hrs
neutral philgoddard : This needs references.
2 days 7 mins
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
4 hrs

keep a discreet profile with each other

- dsicreet (low-profile) rather than discrete (separate), though the phrase does literally suggest 'saving (each other's) face'
Example sentence:

guardar la cara: 264. No fallar a otra persona, le guardas la cara significa que conoces secretos suyos y no los cuentas y puede ir con la cara bien alta.

The phrase 'discreet profile' is correct and usable in written English. It usually implies that a person's behavior or demeanor is respectful and subtle.

Reference:

www.ingles.com/traductor/keep a low profile

Peer comment(s):
neutral Anne Schulz : But why then does she say, she wished that her mother knew things she (the daughter) had always hidden? Could there be a difference between guardar la cara and guardarse la cara?
6 hrs
Something went wrong...
16 hrs

keep each other's secrets to themselves

This would be another option.
Something went wrong...
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