C2 · 50 words
Trust and suspicion in Spanish
What trust is built on, and what breaks it.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
Trust in Spanish is not one word but a scale. Fiarse de alguien is to rely on a person; dar crédito a algo is to believe a statement; la fe ciega is what the rest of the list warns against. On the other side the grid is just as fine: la reserva inicial is not suspicion yet, only holding back, while el hábito de sospechar describes somebody who suspects everywhere. Fifth on the list stands a word English has to break up. El aval is what one party puts behind another: a bank's guarantee on a loan, a name on a tenancy, a senior colleague saying openly that this candidate is sound. English keeps a different word for each — « guarantee », « surety », « endorsement », « backing » — and the verb is worse, because avalar becomes « to guarantee », « to stand surety for », « to vouch for » or « to endorse » depending on who is putting what behind whom. Spanish asks one question only: whose name is behind it.
The words
View
Phrase (50)
fiarse de alguiento rely on somebodyPhraseC2
No se fía de nadie que prometa demasiado.They rely on nobody who promises too much.
dar crédito a algoto give credence to somethingPhraseC2
Nadie dio crédito a la primera versión.Nobody gave credence to the first version.
la fe ciegathe blind faithPhraseC2
La fe ciega en una cifra sale cara.Blind faith in a figure comes expensive.
la confianza ganadathe trust that was earnedPhraseC2
La confianza ganada en años se pierde en un día.The trust that was earned over years is lost in a day.
el aval de un tercerothe backing of a third partyPhraseC2
El aval de un tercero abrió la puerta.The backing of a third party opened the door.
la palabra dadathe word givenPhraseC2
La palabra dada valía más que el contrato.The word given was worth more than the contract.
el compromiso de palabrathe spoken undertakingPhraseC2
El compromiso de palabra se cumplió sin recordatorio.The spoken undertaking was kept without a reminder.
la lealtad probadathe loyalty already provedPhraseC2
La lealtad probada pesó en la decisión.The loyalty already proved weighed in the decision.
la transparencia sin reservasthe openness without reservePhraseC2
La transparencia sin reservas desarmó a los críticos.Openness without reserve disarmed the critics.
la coherencia entre lo dicho y lo hechothe match between word and deedPhraseC2
La coherencia entre lo dicho y lo hecho es lo único que convence.The match between word and deed is the only thing that convinces.
la reserva inicialthe initial reservePhraseC2
La reserva inicial se disipó en dos semanas.The initial reserve wore off in a fortnight.
el hábito de sospecharthe habit of suspectingPhraseC2
El hábito de sospechar le hacía leer dos veces cada correo.The habit of suspecting made them read every message twice.
la desconfianza fundadathe well-founded mistrustPhraseC2
La desconfianza fundada no es un defecto de carácter.Well-founded mistrust is not a defect of character.
la sospecha razonablethe reasonable suspicionPhraseC2
Una sospecha razonable basta para abrir el expediente.A reasonable suspicion is enough to open the file.
el indicio inquietantethe disquieting signPhraseC2
El indicio inquietante era la prisa.The disquieting sign was the hurry.
la señal de alarmathe warning signPhraseC2
La señal de alarma la dio el propio calendario.The warning sign came from the calendar itself.
poner en tela de juicioto call into questionPhraseC2
Puso en tela de juicio todo el informe.They called the whole report into question.
desconfiar de las prisasto mistrust a hurryPhraseC2
Conviene desconfiar de las prisas ajenas.It is worth mistrusting other people's hurry.
oler a chamusquinato smell fishyPhraseC2
El descuento olía a chamusquina.The discount smelt fishy.
haber gato encerradothere being a catch in itPhraseC2
Aquí hay gato encerrado.There is a catch in it somewhere.
la cláusula escondidathe hidden clausePhraseC2
La cláusula escondida decía lo contrario.The hidden clause said the opposite.
la promesa desmedidathe promise beyond all measurePhraseC2
La promesa desmedida es la primera pista.A promise beyond all measure is the first clue.
la respuesta evasivathe evasive answerPhraseC2
La respuesta evasiva dijo más que una negativa.The evasive answer said more than a refusal.
el dato que no cuadrathe figure that does not fitPhraseC2
Todo encajaba salvo un dato que no cuadra.Everything fitted except one figure that does not fit.
la versión cambiantethe story that keeps changingPhraseC2
La versión cambiante acabó con la paciencia de todos.The story that keeps changing exhausted everybody's patience.
la contradicción en el relatothe contradiction in the accountPhraseC2
La contradicción en el relato apareció al tercer día.The contradiction in the account turned up on the third day.
el conflicto de intereses no declaradothe undeclared conflict of interestPhraseC2
El conflicto de intereses no declarado invalidó el informe.The undeclared conflict of interest invalidated the report.
la opacidad deliberadathe deliberate opacityPhraseC2
La opacidad deliberada complicó cualquier revisión.The deliberate opacity made any review difficult.
la verificación independientethe independent verificationPhraseC2
La verificación independiente confirmó lo esencial.The independent verification confirmed the essentials.
el contraste de fuentesthe checking of one source against anotherPhraseC2
El contraste de fuentes deshizo el rumor.The checking of one source against another undid the rumour.
la debida diligenciathe due diligencePhraseC2
La debida diligencia llevó tres semanas.The due diligence took three weeks.
el margen de confianzathe credit of trust given in advancePhraseC2
Le dieron un margen de confianza limitado.The credit of trust given in advance was a limited one.
la traición de la confianzathe betrayal of trustPhraseC2
La traición de la confianza no se repara con dinero.A betrayal of trust is not repaired with money.
la decepción sin escándalothe quiet disappointmentPhraseC2
Fue una decepción sin escándalo y definitiva.It was a quiet disappointment and a final one.
el distanciamiento silenciosothe silent drawing awayPhraseC2
El distanciamiento silencioso duró meses.The silent drawing away lasted months.
recuperar la credibilidadto win back credibilityPhraseC2
Recuperar la credibilidad cuesta el doble.To win back credibility costs twice as much.
la prueba de fuegothe acid testPhraseC2
El primer encargo grande fue la prueba de fuego.The first large commission was the acid test.
la confianza condicionadathe trust with conditions attachedPhraseC2
Volvieron a una confianza condicionada.They went back to trust with conditions attached.
el control sin desconfianzathe checking that carries no mistrustPhraseC2
El control sin desconfianza es cuestión de tono.Checking that carries no mistrust is a question of tone.
la supervisión discretathe discreet supervisionPhraseC2
La supervisión discreta bastó los primeros meses.Discreet supervision was enough for the first months.
la reserva profesionalthe professional discretionPhraseC2
La reserva profesional se mantiene después del contrato.Professional discretion holds after the contract ends.
la información confiadathe information entrustedPhraseC2
La información confiada no se comenta fuera.Information entrusted is not discussed outside.
lo que se cuenta en confianzawhat is said in confidencePhraseC2
Lo que se cuenta en confianza deja de serlo al repetirse.What is said in confidence stops being so once repeated.
la discreción como normathe discretion as the rulePhraseC2
La discreción como norma evita muchos conflictos.Discretion as the rule avoids a great many conflicts.
la ingenuidad culpablethe culpable credulityPhraseC2
La ingenuidad culpable no exime de responsabilidad.Culpable credulity releases nobody from responsibility.
el escepticismo sanothe healthy scepticismPhraseC2
El escepticismo sano se aprende caro.Healthy scepticism is learned the expensive way.
la paranoia improductivathe mistrust that produces nothingPhraseC2
La paranoia improductiva paraliza a un equipo entero.Mistrust that produces nothing paralyses a whole team.
el beneficio de la dudathe benefit of the doubtPhraseC2
Le concedieron el beneficio de la duda una vez más.They were given the benefit of the doubt once more.
confiar sin delegar el controlto trust without handing over controlPhraseC2
Aprendió a confiar sin delegar el control.They learned to trust without handing over control.
la reputación como garantíathe reputation serving as securityPhraseC2
La reputación como garantía funciona mientras dure.Reputation serving as security works as long as it lasts.
This list belongs to People and feelings — 13 lists and 640 words that can also be practised as a whole.