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

Part of Speech

Adverbial phrase

Phonetic Transcription

/ a ˈtjentas /

Translation Options into English

• by touch
• gropingly

Meaning and Use

The phrase "a tientas" refers to the manner of doing something without clear visibility, relying on the sense of touch rather than sight. It is often used to describe a situation where someone is navigating through uncertainty or darkness. This phrase is commonly employed in both oral and written contexts, though it tends to be more prevalent in written language, given its somewhat literary or descriptive nature.

Example Sentences

1. Caminé a tientas por la casa oscura, tratando de encontrar el interruptor de la luz.

2. I walked gropingly through the dark house, trying to find the light switch.

3. En ocasiones difíciles, a tientas encontré la verdadera dirección a seguir.

4. In difficult times, I gropingly found the true direction to take.

5. El niño exploraba a tientas el jardín en busca de su pelota perdida.

6. The child gropingly explored the garden in search of his lost ball.

Idiomatic Expressions

The phrase "a tientas" is part of various idiomatic expressions in Spanish, conveying the concept of navigating or proceeding without clear direction.

1. Ir a tientas - to go blindly
2. Después de su caída, trató de ir a tientas hasta encontrar el teléfono.

3. After his fall, he tried to go blindly until he found the phone.

4. Buscar a tientas - to search blindly

5. Buscó a tientas en la oscuridad de su habitación hasta que encontró su libro.

6. He searched blindly in the darkness of his room until he found his book.

7. Avanzar a tientas - to advance gropingly

8. En la oscuridad del túnel, avanzábamos a tientas, sin saber a dónde nos llevaría.

9. In the darkness of the tunnel, we advanced gropingly, not knowing where it would take us.

10. Hacer algo a tientas - to do something blindly

11. Decidí hacer algo a tientas con los ojos cerrados y resultó ser una buena elección.
12. I decided to do something blindly with my eyes closed, and it turned out to be a good choice.

Etymology

The phrase "a tientas" comes from the Spanish word "tienta," which refers to the act of feeling or touching. It is related to "tientar", meaning "to feel" or "to touch". This underscores the tactile nature implied in the phrase, emphasizing reliance on touch rather than sight.

Synonyms and Antonyms

• Synonyms: a ciegas (blindly), a gatas (on all fours - though this has a slightly different connotation).
• Antonyms: a la vista (in sight), con claridad (clearly).