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“al cliente hay que darle liebre por gato, en lugar de gato por liebre”

English translation: Always exceed the customer\'s expectations; never sell the customer short.

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:“al cliente hay que darle liebre por gato, en lugar de gato por liebre”
English translation:Always exceed the customer\'s expectations; never sell the customer short.
Entered by: Raul Becerra

11:37 Aug 20, 2022
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Advertising / Public Relations / Marketing, presentation of a company's philosophy
Spanish term or phrase: “al cliente hay que darle liebre por gato, en lugar de gato por liebre”
Sentence extracted from a web presentation of a company's philosophy. It is a word play with the saying "dar gato por liebre"

Source:
Mi padre siempre decía “al cliente hay que darle liebre por gato, en lugar de gato por liebre”

Possible free translation.
My father always said: "always give the customer the best deal"
My father always said: "make sure the customer draws the long straw"
My father always said: "make sure the customer doesn't buy a pig in a poke"

Thank you for any imput.
Raul Becerra
Germany
Always exceed the customer's expectations; never sell the customer short.
Explanation:
En la antigüedad, las posadas, los mesones y tabernas tenían muy mala fama sobre todo en materia de alimentación, ya que se sospechaba que servían carne de gato en lugar de conejo o cabrito, cuando se estaba pagando por conejo o por cabrito. Es decir, como hoy las cadenas de restaurantes fastfood. (no es que te den gato, pero un poco de conservante de más…)
Entre otras acusaciones estaba la de que los posaderos echaban un asno en adobo y lo vendían como carne de ternera. A tal punto llegó la desconfianza que los clientes solían decir en voz alta antes de comer: «Si eres cabrito, mantente frito»
Selected response from:

Andrew Bramhall
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:48
Grading comment
Tnank you very much for your help. I like that your option keeps the contrast of the original.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3the client must get more than his money's worth
Ana Vozone
4 +2Always exceed the customer's expectations; never sell the customer short.
Andrew Bramhall
4 +1one should always exercise honesty when dealing with a customer, and should never try to pull the...
Barbara Cochran, MFA
4"always be a straight shooter with customers, don't try to pull a fast one"
Myriam Seers
4one should never sell a pup to a customer
Lisa Jane
3treat your customer to the best deal
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
"always be a straight shooter with customers, don't try to pull a fast one"


Explanation:
I agree with Barbara's translation. Here is another possibility that using two different idioms. Unfortunately I can't think of a way to achieve the same meaning using an idiom + a word play on an idiom in English. Hopefully someone else can! This one has an interaction between shooting straight and pulling, which perhaps achieves some of that (but not much, admittedly).
Another possibility that plays on the sales angle:
"always be a straight shooter with customers, not a snake oil salesman"


Myriam Seers
Canada
Local time: 00:48
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you for your help


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Wilsonn Perez Reyes: Sin comillas ni al preguntar ni al responder https://www.proz.com/siterules/kudoz_general/1.4#1.4
6 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
one should always exercise honesty when dealing with a customer, and should never try to pull the...


Explanation:
...wool over her/his eyes...

One should never trick anyone into buying something, by saying things about it that aren't true/by taking advantage of their lack of knowledge about the product or service in question.

https://www.dicoz.es/la-expresion-dar-gato-por-liebre-signif...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2022-08-20 14:21:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

avoid being a con artist

Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 00:48
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Tnaks for you help


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Myriam Seers
21 mins
  -> Thanks, Myriam.
neutral  philgoddard: This is more of an explanation than a translation, and it's also very wordy. Why not just "be honest with customers"?
2 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
the client must get more than his money's worth


Explanation:
https://www.google.com/search?q="more than his money's worth...

Example sentence(s):
  • o I make sure he gets more than his money's worth when he watches my film.”
  • This guy gets more than his money's worth at this all-you-can-eat buffet and it's quite the sight.
Ana Vozone
Local time: 05:48
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you for your imput.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Andrew Bramhall
7 mins
  -> Thank you, Andrew!
agree  Carol Gullidge
2 hrs
  -> Thank you, Carol!
agree  Cecilia Gowar
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Cecilia!
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Always exceed the customer's expectations; never sell the customer short.


Explanation:
En la antigüedad, las posadas, los mesones y tabernas tenían muy mala fama sobre todo en materia de alimentación, ya que se sospechaba que servían carne de gato en lugar de conejo o cabrito, cuando se estaba pagando por conejo o por cabrito. Es decir, como hoy las cadenas de restaurantes fastfood. (no es que te den gato, pero un poco de conservante de más…)
Entre otras acusaciones estaba la de que los posaderos echaban un asno en adobo y lo vendían como carne de ternera. A tal punto llegó la desconfianza que los clientes solían decir en voz alta antes de comer: «Si eres cabrito, mantente frito»

Andrew Bramhall
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:48
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Tnank you very much for your help. I like that your option keeps the contrast of the original.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Francois Boye
2 hrs
  -> Thank you!
agree  Carol Gullidge: This makes sense, although something briefer would be ideal
2 hrs
  -> Yep, thanks.
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
one should never sell a pup to a customer


Explanation:
This could be a close equivalent to the Spanish idiom.

With the idea being of a puppy being sold to someone instead of a trained dog. Thus, it maintains both the reference to selling and to being given an animal of inferior value.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2022-08-20 15:33:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

https://wordhistories.net/2016/12/22/to-sell-a-pup/

Its somewhat 'old fashioned' appeal might suit your context of a handed-down saying from the father


    https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/sell+someone+a+pup
Lisa Jane
Italy
Local time: 06:48
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ItalianItalian
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks for you help.

Asker: Thank you for your imput.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  philgoddard: I like this as far as it goes, but you lose the contrast of the original. How about "don't sell them a pup, sell them a fully housetrained pedigree dog"?
11 mins
  -> Yes, I was trying to keep it short but that could be an idea!
neutral  Andrew Bramhall: Agree with Phil;
4 hrs
neutral  AllegroTrans: Good suggestion by Phil
8 hrs
neutral  Carol Gullidge: without "instead of a trained dog..." or similar, as this stands,it doesn't really make sense! Why should you not sell a pup to a customer (e.g., if you're a pet shop...)? //yes, that would have made all the difference :))
2 days 1 hr
  -> :)) indeed! I explained the idiom in the body of the text but should have put it in the translation!
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1 day 23 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
al cliente hay que darle liebre por gato, en lugar de gato por liebre
treat your customer to the best deal


Explanation:
Your first proposal fits nicely with the ST.

Or maybe: "treat your customer to the very best"

Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
Spain
Local time: 06:48
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 24
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you for your input

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