To come out ahead, to come out losing

Question

Do salir adelante and salir perdiendo both work? I see

Es la única vez que he visto al viejo Stan salir perdiendo.

It's the only time I've seen old Stan come out losing (on the losing end of the deal). Why al and not el I wonder. Gracias.

The question is do both work, salir perdiendo and salir adelante, does salir + any ing work? Gracias. (salir corriendo does)

Answer 1

Depending on context, both work. Salir adelante does mean to come out on top, to be able to overcome an adverse situation. Salir perdiendo is precisely as Izanoni said.

Salir can indeed be used with a number of verbs:

Salir caminando (leave walking, which can be used for something like "he was able to walk out of that accident!. Salió caminando del accidente.

Salir cantando: come out singing

Salir corriendo: leave at a run.

Salir gritando: come out screaming.

Answer 2

Es la única vez que he visto al viejo Stan salir perdiendo...Why al and not el I wonder.

I think it's personal a (followed by el, thus al)...

Stan is the direct object of he visto and Stan is a person.

Answer 3

I am pretty sure that I have seen salir ganando used similarly to to come out on top or to come out ahead. I'm not sure about salir adelante though.

I think that salir perdiendo is probably pretty close to to wind up losing or to lose out.

Answer 4

@Gekko, but some are literal and some are figurative right? Like salir gritando / caminando / corriendo are literal, wheras salir adelante, perdiendo, are figurative? Gracias.