Spanish phrase
¿Cuál es la traducción literal de ~?
Meaning
What is the literal rendering of ___?
When to use it
Asks for a direct, word-for-word rendering. Used to check the literal wording of a phrase rather than its idiomatic sense, often in language or clarification contexts.
Example dialogue
¿Cuál es la traducción literal de estar en las nubes?
What is the literal rendering of 'to be on the clouds'?
Literalmente sería 'estar sobre las nubes', pero como modismo significa 'estar despistado'.
Literally it would be 'to be on the clouds', but as an idiom it means 'to be absent-minded'.