Spanish idioms: Meter la pata

Meter la pata means to make a mistake or say something inappropriate.

Synonyms of the expression «meter la pata«: equivocarse, errar, desacertar, fallar, confundirse, marrar, patinar

Origin of the expression «meter la pata«: the most likely explanation, although there is some other, is that this expression is related to the world of hunting. In Spanish, we call “pata” to the extremities of the animals. That’s why when an animal screws up in a hunter’s trap, it’s made a mistake. Ha metido la pata.

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Spanish idioms: Meter la pata 2
Noa O Avatar
Noa O
5 star rating
Most fun & family like school where you learn in a super fun way I was only here for 1 week, but I had the best time ever! The Spanish classes are made really fun, but you also honestly learn a lot, even in 1 week. We played games to learn words, grammar and pronunciation. The two teachers I had (Carol y Pablo) we’re really nice and funny.
The school also offers a lot of activities which are almost free, in this way you can make friends really fast and thats super nice, especially when you come here on your own.
The school itself is right in the city centre, so thats honestly a beautiful location. Everyone should visit Valencia once in their life because the vibes are amazing.
I would defenitely recommend this to anyone who wants to learn Spanish, the school almost feels like a family. I am already planning when I can come back:).
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Ben Eberle Avatar
Ben Eberle
I've been visiting Taronja for years working on my spanish. The staff and the teachers are fantastic!. They mix and combine methods and classes which keeps it interesting and makes for a great experience. They also offer lots of extracurricular activities and are committed to helping you not only learn spanisch but make sure you really enjoy your time in Valencia.
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Claire Rice Avatar
Claire Rice
I am a retired language teacher (at high school and university level ) and as such I feel I can offer a qualified opinion on the teaching method of the Taronja staff. I am pleased to give it 5 stars. All lessons were well prepared, engaging and fun. All staff members were supportive yet challenging. I was pleasantly surprised not to feel my age as a handicap among students largely much younger than me. I had fun with them and met many other older students as well. As to the activities offered by the school, there were so many of them that you could pick and choose. My husband (studying at a different level than mine) and I, did exactly that. We didn't go to all but enjoyed what we had chosen. We enjoyed the cooking class, the songs, the movies, the Saturday excursion. I saw a critic among the reviews concerning a bull fight and I thought that was totally out of line. If you disagree with an offered activity that is part of the culture you are supposedly trying to learn about, just don't go. But don't blame the school for offering other people with different values than yours a chance to experience that activity! Anyway, we had such a good experience that we are seriously thinking about going back to study in Taronja next spring for a couple of weeks at least. Well done Taronja staff, the whole team, teachers, office staff, organizers. We loved the school, we adored Valencia. We will be back. Thank you all so much!
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Marilyn Drews Avatar
Marilyn Drews
As a retired teacher (university) I was very impressed with the techniques used by the instructors. The classes are engaging; the teachers are motivating and supportive. I enjoyed the diversity of students in the classroom ( countries and ages). At the beginning of each week learning outcomes are presented. Then each class starts with a review of the days learning outcomes and ends with a recap of achievements-- theory, activities, and new words. Each class offers ample opportunities to practice new skills with a wide range of activities. Everyone has numerous chances to speak in every class with carefully crafted activities that are inclusive and fun. The small group size adds to the comfort for those of us who are intimidated with learning new skills.
Classes are pitched at each student's level based on a written assessment. However, during the morning of the first class each person can assess how comfortable they are with the material. They can then move to a higher or lower level class that will more closely meet their personal learning needs.
The school also offers a wide range of activities which further engages learners with more ways to practice language skills as well as to learn about the culture of Spain. I will do another post about my decision to study in Valencia
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Nathalie B. Avatar
Nathalie B.
I am student who just finished high school and decided to take a gap year and learn a language. One of my friends was in Taronja School last year for 3 months and she loved it, so she recommended me to spend some time there in Valencia. I spent 6 months in the school and had one of the best times of my life. I arrived with a very low spanish level, and weeks after weeks, I could see my progress. Later in October, I felt confortable enough with my spanish to take the DELE-B2 preparation lessons at the school as well. Coming to Valencia, I never thought I would improve that fast. Even more, the teachers are very nice and pay attention to every student in the class. Finally, what makes the school also so special are the activities, they make it very easy to meet other students and make friends as soon as you arrive. I definitely wanna come back again!
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Stewart Auyash Avatar
Stewart Auyash
I love Taronja and could not have asked for a better overall experience. I have a friendly recommendation for the school. I think the professors should provide more evaluative comments to students after the week of classes especially for students who stay more than one week. I would like to know: How am I doing? What do I need to work on? What advice do you have for me to practice out of class? This need not be summative or extensive possibly just a few minutes. This could be optional for the students who would like the feedback.
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Brenda Severin Avatar
Brenda Severin
Dear Taronja, Allow me to express my gratitude to you all. This last month has been a quiet a journey for me and I am grateful to learn and grow alongside incredible souls. A huge thank you to all my teachers and the whole team at Taronja for your dedication and commitment. To my teachers, I know I have not been the easiest student but you guys are awesome. Thank you for your patience, encouragement and guidance ( especially Nestor & Micaela 🤍 ). I am going back home more bold and I will definitely continue to work on my Spanish skills. To my fellow students, you are definitely at the right school. It was pleasant to meet some of you and enjoy your stay in Valencia. Thank you Jenny and Andres for making my classes possible. See you for sure next time. Love Brenda Ps. Next time I will write in Spanish 🙏🏽
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Stefano Tonani Avatar
Stefano Tonani
tuve una buena experiencia en esta escuela , y , además , las profesoras / los profesores han sido muy simpaticos y de calidad.
esta escuela es verdaderamente una emoción unica.
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