A short translation excercise for spanish learners 2 Answered ! see my second post.
I am still in the same little book about the Méxican revolution written by Rius.
The author is up to his usual cynical, humorous mischief. and as usual there is a hook.
The caption goes like this:
Calculan Madero ( el presidente) y Angeles ( el general):
"Sitiados los alzados en La Ciudadela, será fácil darles en la torre".
Since you natives already know this please let any of us learners see what we can do with this first.
A vote for all who try the translation.
30 Answers
Calculan Madero ( el presidente) y Angeles ( el general): Sitiados los alzados en La Ciudadela, será fácil darles en la torre.
President Madero and General Angeles are making their estimations:
With the rebells cornered in La Ciudadela, it will be easy to make mincemeat of them (???)
Thank you all for your participation, this has been a great experience and I hope you enjoyed it.
Ok, here we go with the answer.
"Sitiados los alzados en La Ciudadela, será fácil darles en la torre".
" Beseige the rebels in the citadel, it will be easy to give them the final blow." (Not necesarily to kill them , but to " finish with those that are there")
Now then:
This is a phrase that can be used in daily life. The meaning is always linked to the context, and it can vary based on the particular situation.
"dar en la torre" follows the conjugation of "dar", Examples:
Ella iba manejando muy rápido cuando chocó contra el poste, dándole en la torre a su coche. ( In this example, the car was badly damaged)
Por instrucciones de mi jefe, tendré que ir a la oficina el sábado. Ufff!.. le dió en la torre a mis planes de ocio para el fin de semana. ( In this example my plans were ruined)
Si le dices que no la amas, le darás en la torre, porque ella está muy enamorada de tí. ( In this example, you will break her heart)
As I indicated you can conjugate " dar en la torre" in any tense, to fit the situation and add some color to your conversation.
My proposal is: can you make some sentences applying this? Learners and natives are welcome as we will see many uses for this phrase.
Everyone that tries will get a vote
Set your sights on the Citadel it will be east to hit the tower. (Cannons)
The rebels are located in the fortress. It will be easy to move them into the tower.
Here is an example of "dar en la torre" used in a Mexican digital newspaper, that does not mean to kill or destroy, and the use of "torre" referring to a building:
"De plano, Felipe Calderón quiere acabar con la llamada primera industria nacional: la petrolera. Ya desde su breve paso por la Secretaría de Energía el hoy ocupante de Los Pinos hizo todo lo posible por darle en la torre a los entonces inquilinos de la torre de Pemex, pero hoy, dicen, está a punto de darle la estocada final. "
In this paragraph, we see "torre" used in two different ways. The first expresses "darle en la torre" as a metaphor; the second uses "torre" as the skyscraper where the high command of Pemex is located
Pemex = Petróleos Mexicanos
Los Pinos = Federal presidencial palace
Reference: link text
Am I using it the correct way with this sentence?
Espero que el calor no le diera en la torre eso cuadro grande.
I hope the heat didn't ruin that great painting.
La policía se entereron de la trama y la dieron en la torre.
The police found out about the plot and put an end to it.
En las escenas finales de la película "Inglourious Basterds" por Tarantino, les dio en la torre a Hitler, Goebbels, Goering y Bormann, prendiendo fuego a la sala de cine.
In the final scenes of Tanrantino's film "Inglourious Basterds", they finished off Hitler, Goebbels, Goering and Bormann, setting light to the cinema.
Is it actually like a less vulgar version of "darles por el c* * * " ? A Spanish acquaintance told me that one ages ago!
(We re-watched it last night, will this work, Paco?)
Paco, in this concept we are supposed to use an indirect object pronoun before the verb dar, right? Like as follows:
Un matón llegó y le dió en la torre a nuestra fortaleza en el árbol.
A bully came along and destroyed our tree fort.
My attempt to use ¨dar en la torre¨!
The tide came in and ruined the sand castle.
La marea vino en y da le dió en la torre el al castillo de arena.
Por instrucciones de mi jefe, tendré que ir a la oficina el sábado. Ufff!.. le dió en la torre a mis planes de ocio para el fin de semana.
Paco, thanks for your explanation. But I don't get one thing - why is there "le" instead of "me" in the example above?
With the rebels surrounded in the fortress, it will be easy to cut off their head.
(I'm totally following your clues now, because I can't say I'm really getting this from the Spanish. lol)
Siempre hay excepciones pero dar en la torre, ...... There are always exceptions but in this case...
Does that work?
How about... It's easy catch a cornered mouse 
With the rebels in the Citadel, it'll be easy to give it to them in the ......tower....
give it to them in the tower here meaning something like 'kick their butts'!
