se pegó a este

English translation: started following him

09:18 Dec 20, 2021

Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Literature.

Spanish term or phrase: se pegó a este

I would like to know the best translation of this phrase from Latin American Spanish into American English. Translator colleagues from Spain, feel free to send me your suggestions as well.

This is a translation about the story of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves.

Is okay to translate it as he got attached to him in order to follow him?

Here is the full paragraph for your review:

Se mantuvo escondido un rato mientras el ladrón rebuscaba su saco y cuando lo encontró, con mucho cuidado de no hacer ruido se pegó a este para salir detrás de él sin que se enterase, dejando una buena distancia para que no fuera descubierto, pudiendo así aprovechar la luz de la antorcha del bandido.
“”Cuando se aproximaban a la salida, el ladrón se detuvo, escuchó nervioso el jaleo que venía de la parte exterior de la cueva y apagó la antorcha

yugoslavia KudoZ activity Questions: 1993 (3 open) (3 without valid answers) (7 closed without grading) Answers: 0 United States
Local time: 06:23

English translation:started following him

Explanation:
You could also say "became his shadow" but neither that nor "stuck to him" as the original says make sense since because he did so "at a certain distance".

Selected response from:

Cecilia Gowar
United Kingdom

Grading comment

4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +2

started following him

Cecilia Gowar

shadowed this one

Carole Wolfe

began/started tailing him

Marcelo González

Answers

39 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

started following him

Explanation:
You could also say "became his shadow" but neither that nor "stuck to him" as the original says make sense since because he did so "at a certain distance".

Cecilia Gowar
United Kingdom
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

Spanish
PRO pts in category: 227

Notes to answerer

Asker: Muchas gracias Cecilia.

Asker: Muchas gracias Cecilia.

1 hr confidence:

shadowed this one

Explanation:
Definition from Oxford English and Spanish dictionary:
"Follow and observe (someone) closely and secretly."

Example sentence(s):

He had been up all night shadowing a team of poachers.

https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/shadow

Carole Wolfe
United States
Local time: 05:23
Native speaker of:

English

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thanks Carole!

2 days 6 hrs confidence:

began/started tailing him

Explanation:
(informal) to tail (related to "putting a tail on someone, often said by law enforcement) = to follow

... tailing him, without the other noticing (or "without giving himself away") leaving enough distance in between so that he wouldn't be discovered / so as not to be discovered ...

giving himself away = (idiom) doing something that draws attention, revealing something intended to remain unknown or a secret

Marcelo González
United States
Local time: 00:23
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 44

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thanks Mr. Marcelo.

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se pegó a este

English translation: started following him

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se pegó a este

English translation: started following him

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