darse la vuelta

An intransitive verb phrase is a phrase that combines a verb with a preposition or other particle and does not require a direct object (e.g. Everybody please stand up.).

intransitive verb phrase

2. (to go in the opposite direction)

a. to turn around

Está muy oscuro y no quiero adentrarme más en el bosque. ¿Damos la vuelta?It's very dark and I don't want to go deeper into the forest. Shall we turn around?

b. to turn round (United Kingdom)

Muchos conductores entran en la calle y, al ver que está cortada, dan la vuelta.Many drivers take the road and turn round when they realize it's closed off.

3. (to move around)

Regionalism used in Mexico

(Mexico)

a. to go for a walk (on foot)

¿Dónde está Emiliano? - Salió a dar la vuelta.Where's Emiliano? - He went for a walk.

b. to go for a ride (on a vehicle)

Los chicos se fueron a dar la vuelta en bici. No volverán hasta la hora de la comida.The children went for a ride on their bikes. They won't be back till lunch.

A transitive verb phrase is a phrase that combines a verb with a preposition or other particle and requires a direct object (e.g. Take out the trash.).

transitive verb phrase

4. (to cause to face in the opposite direction)

a. to turn over

Dale la vuelta a ese filete, o se quemará.Turn that steak over, or it'll burn.

b. to turn

Dio la vuelta al colchón para que nadie viera la mancha.He turned the mattress so no one could see the stain.

c. to turn inside out

¡Por mucho que le des la vuelta a las medias no te van a desaparecer los agujeros!The holes on your socks won't disappear by turning them inside out!

d. to turn upside down

Si le das la vuelta al bote, bajará el champú que queda dentro.If you turn the bottle upside down, the shampoo left inside will come down.

5. (to circle)

a. to go around

Phileas Fogg dio la vuelta al mundo en ochenta días.Phileas Fogg went around the world in eighty days.

b. to go round (United Kingdom)

¿Cuánto tardas en dar la vuelta a la cuadra?How long does it take you to go round the block?

6. (to change completely)

a. to turn around

Si le das la vuelta a la idea, verás las cosas de otro modo.If you turn the idea around, you will see things differently.

b. to turn round (United Kingdom)

Los Ciclones consiguieron dar la vuelta al marcador en los últimos minutos del encuentro.The Ciclones turned the match round in the last few minutes of the game.

c. to reverse

Ahora trata de darle la vuelta al razonamiento y, en lugar de culpar a los demás, piensa qué podrías haber hecho tú.Now try to reverse the argument and, instead of blaming everyone else, think what you could have done.

A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).

(colloquial)

(to swindle)

Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama

(Central America)

a. to con

A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).

(colloquial)

Un maleante me dio la vuelta.Some crook conned me.

Examples