The figurative use of "El Enchufe"

Question

This is an informative post for my friends and community members who are at the basic/intermediate level of their Spanish Learning :

I have recently discovered this and felt like sharing it with others :

As we all know, the meaning for the word El Enchufe is an electric plug. But this is the literal dictionary meaning.

What about the other side of the coin (the figurative use). Well as many other words even the word ENCHUFE can and is used figuratively. to mean contacts/connections .. For example : Jimmy encontro un trabajo por tu enchufe .. Jimmy found a job due to your contacts (in the company/in the govt etc.)

Another Example : Su marido tiene un buen enchufe en la prensa (her husband has a good influence or connections in the press).

Hope you all liked it .. Happy Learning to all

Answer 1

Jimmy seems to be correct on this one. Here is a translation from the Linguee language site:

http://www.linguee.com/english-spanish/search?query=+enchufe&moreResults=1&source=spanish

Pero cuando en 1969 Amitabh llegó a Bombay para buscar trabajo, no se dirigió a los estudios R.K., sino que prefirió intentarlo y hacerlo sin 'enchufe' como dicen los indios.
embassyindia.es

But when in 1969, Amitabh came to Bombay looking for work he did not make his way to R.K. Studios, preferring to try and make it without "pull," as the Indians put it.
embassyindia.es

thanks dear for your great reply and amazing information you have shared,, i am an indian myself and i didn't know this about our super duper star amitabh bachan :) thanks for sharing :) - 00b055e0, Mar 16, 2014

and yes .. i saw this in one of my spanish books .. so it must be correct i am sure .. the thing is that people from different countries speak differently .. like in Spain vosotros form is used which i think doesn't exist else where :) - 00b055e0, Mar 16, 2014

Answer 2

En España es una expresión bastante común. Generalmente se utiliza con una connotación negativa. Jimmy encontró un trabajo por enchufe. Deja entrever que Jimmy igual no era el más apropiado para el trabajo, lo consiguió por sus influencias no por sus méritos profesionales. También se puede utilizar como adjetivo "Jimmy es un eschufado" o como verbo "A ver si tengo suerte y me enchufan en una buena empresa"

In Spain is quite common expression. Normally It's used in a bad way. 'Jimmy encontró un trabajo por enchufe' I mean maybe Jimmy wasn't the best for the job, he got it due to his connections instead his qualifications. Also you can use it as an adjetive "Jimmy es un eschufado" or as a verb "A ver si tengo suerte y me enchufan en una buena empresa"

Yes Keirlen, Even in English the words connections or contacts in such context are used in a negative sense but not always. And thanks for the additional information that it can be used as an adjective too. Gracias .. - 00b055e0, Mar 17, 2014

Answer 3

Yo tengo un buen trabajo porque tengo "palancas." Yo tengo un buen trabajo porque tengo "cuello" Tener enchufe, nunca lo he escuchado.

Ni yo . - annierats, Mar 16, 2014

hmm ,, gracias .. but i have noticed some differences of style and some vocabulary items between different countries. - 00b055e0, Mar 16, 2014

@annie : .. "ni yo" or "yo tampoco" ? :) - 00b055e0, Mar 16, 2014

well .. true it is relatively less used ,, but it is a documented use which i have seen in the books.. so it is a good to know information .. learning a language is a nver ending process .. each day unfolds some new dimensions :) - 00b055e0, Mar 16, 2014

and Annie .. thanks to you .. i learned some thing new from u today .. i wasn't aware about "ni yo", i just checked it with my venezuelan frend and she told me that we can say it either ways .. thanks :) - 00b055e0, Mar 16, 2014