a ciegas (spanish) - meaning, definition, translation, pronunciation

Part of Speech

• The phrase "a ciegas" functions as an adverbial expression in Spanish.

Phonetic Transcription

• /a ˈθje.ɣas/ (in Spain) or /a ˈsje.ɣas/ (in Latin America)

Translation Options into English

• "blindly"
• "in blind faith"
• "without seeing"

Meaning and Usage

The expression "a ciegas" translates to doing something in a blind or unseeing manner, often implying a lack of foresight, preparation, or insight. It is commonly used in contexts where someone acts without having all the necessary information or understanding about a situation.

This phrase is used frequently in both oral and written Spanish, but it tends to appear more in idiomatic expressions and informal speech contexts.

Example Sentences

1. Voy a realizar la compra a ciegas, confiando en que todo esté bien.

2. "I am going to make the purchase blindly, trusting that everything will be fine."

3. No es recomendable firmar un contrato a ciegas.

4. "It is not advisable to sign a contract blindly."

5. Ella se lanzó a ciegas en esa aventura sin pensar en las consecuencias.

6. "She jumped in blindly into that adventure without thinking about the consequences."

Idiomatic Expressions

"A ciegas" is part of several idiomatic expressions in Spanish. Here are a few examples:

1. Comprar a ciegas
2. Translation: "To buy blindly"
3. Example Sentence: "Antes de comprar a ciegas, asegúrate de investigar el producto."

4. Translation: "Before buying blindly, make sure to research the product."

5. Ir a ciegas

6. Translation: "To go blindly"
7. Example Sentence: "No podemos ir a ciegas en la negociación, necesitamos más información."

8. Translation: "We cannot go blindly into the negotiation; we need more information."

9. Amar a ciegas

10. Translation: "To love blindly"
11. Example Sentence: "Amar a ciegas puede llevar a grandes decepciones."

12. Translation: "Loving blindly can lead to great disappointments."

13. Actuar a ciegas

14. Translation: "To act blindly"
15. Example Sentence: "Actuar a ciegas sin un plan puede ser peligroso."

16. Translation: "Acting blindly without a plan can be dangerous."

17. Enfrentar a ciegas

18. Translation: "To face blindly"
19. Example Sentence: "No es inteligente enfrentar a ciegas un reto tan difícil."
20. Translation: "It is not wise to face a challenge so difficult blindly."

Etymology

The phrase "a ciegas" derives from the Spanish word "ciego," which means "blind." The preposition "a" indicates the idea of "to" or "in a manner of," thus together forming the notion of acting without sight or understanding.

Synonyms and Antonyms

• Synonyms: sin ver (without seeing), a tontas y a locas (haphazardly)
• Antonyms: con visión (with vision), con juicio (with judgment)