For Learners of Spanish : Ser un suave

Question

I am posting some very colloquial Spanish phrases from Spain and I would like you to guess what they mean Don't look on the web, that is cheating, jeje, dictionaries are allowed.

So here is today's challenge: Guess what "ser un suave" means.

Example:

Le conozco muy bien. Él es un suave.

NO Spanish speaking natives please

Please correct my English!

Very interesting Nila! Thanks - pacofinkler, Jun 15, 2011

Answer 1

"A wolf in sheep's clothing" - someone who appears to be something he is not?

Yes, in Spain, we say "las mata callando" or "es un suave". - nila45, Jun 15, 2011

You can say too: es un lobo con la piel de cordero - nila45, Jun 15, 2011

Answer 2

I would think he is a smooth talker.

Well, so-so. He can convince people of a lot of things. - nila45, Jun 15, 2011

Answer 3

An animal soft on his feet? Like a fox!

There is another animal that is not a fox. - nila45, Jun 15, 2011

I mean, this animal is similar to fox. - nila45, Jun 15, 2011

Un chacal??? Not very likely in Spain. A snake? - GerdaD, Jun 15, 2011

Answer 4

Is it someone who's managed to convince everyone he's not guilty? Is he soft as in "subtle"?

So-so. Perhaps you now have a closer idea. - nila45, Jun 15, 2011

Answer 5

My guess: he's a womanizer or a smooth talker.

No, no. He is not a Don Juan. - nila45, Jun 15, 2011

Answer 6

Ha sido él, el suave? The cunning guy that usually manages to get away with things without being caught?

So-so. Anyway, one point for you. You are closer. - nila45, Jun 15, 2011

Answer 7

He's a player.

a player?. No, really. - nila45, Jun 15, 2011

Answer 8

Maybe he's smooth? Dare I say...Don Juan?

hummmm.... try again - nila45, Jun 15, 2011

Answer 9

Nila, dime una cosa, eso es un tipo de challenge o quieres el significado en inglés y punto?

All of her posts have had figurative or idiomatic meanings in Spanish so far. - 0074b507, Jun 12, 2011

She is not asking for literal English translations. - 0074b507, Jun 12, 2011

Look she just answered this thread: http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/194898/how-to-say-thats-it-in-spanish- - jeezzle, Jun 12, 2011

Este es un tipo de challenge. Se me había olvidado ponerlo. Ahora lo cambio. - nila45, Jun 12, 2011

Me gusta que la gente adivine lo que quiero decir. Que me lo expliquen en inglés o de alguna otra manera. - nila45, Jun 12, 2011

quentin, I know that, but her approach must be clear to everybody, not only a couple of participants, and no spanish natives etc... - 00494d19, Jun 13, 2011

Answer 10

Ohh My ! I have to say that in Mexican Spanish it has no sense.

Is it said only in Spain? - nila45, Jun 15, 2011

Supongo que sí. En México jamás lo he escuchado. - Agora, Jun 15, 2011

Answer 11

The kid from the story was "un suave". For that reason, he played almost all the pranks. No, the other children. But, he hid before the father came and when the father saw all the mess, he believed that the other children had done it.

And the grandmother had seen all the process and she tried to warn the father, but the father didn't pay attention to her words. It was too late. "El suave" always got his way.

Answer 12

An animal ? Such as the serpent that convinced Eve to eat the forbidden fruit? In other words, the instigator or the evil genius?

Serpent?. No. - nila45, Jun 15, 2011

Answer 13

That is it. It is what LaBurra has said:

"A wolf in sheep's clothing"

That is: 1. un suave, 2. alguien que las mata callando, 3. un lobo con la piel de cordero.

Now you need to add this to the phrase book! Thanks for a good challenge. - LaBurra, Jun 15, 2011

Answer 14

Well, I am in a good mood. Another clue:

He can seem to be like a type of animal. Think....

What type of animal?

Answer 15

He is a gentleman.

He can be a gentleman or perhaps he can't be a gentleman. But, he usually takes care manners. - nila45, Jun 15, 2011