World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English Dictionariesguardar las formas
Native Script:Guardar las formas
Pronunciation / Transliteration: gwardar las formas
"Debes guardar las formas delante de los invitados."
Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
Be careful about what you say and how you behave; mind your manners.
"You need to mind your ps and qs when meeting the executives for the first time." - 2
Pay attention to details and conduct oneself properly in a specific social context.
"The children were told to mind their ps and qs while visiting the museum."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
The exact origin of the phrase remains debated, with popular theories suggesting it arose in 17th-century English taverns where bartenders kept track of pints and quarts consumed by patrons, or from French dancing masters instructing students to mind their 'pieds' (feet) and 'queues' (wigs). Over time, it evolved from an admonition about literal counting or physical posture into a general idiom meaning to be careful of one's manners, speech, and conduct.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Mind your ps and qs"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Mind your ps and qs" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
surveiller son langage
Transliteration: surveiller son lang-age
Script: Surveiller son langage
"Il faut surveiller son langage en réunion."
sich benehmen
Transliteration: zikh be-neh-men
Script: Sich benehmen
"Du musst dich bei der Feier benehmen."
badare alle proprie azioni
Transliteration: badare alle proprie azioni
Script: Badare alle proprie azioni
"È importante badare alle proprie azioni in pubblico."
guardar las formas
Transliteration: gwardar las formas
Script: Guardar las formas
"Debes guardar las formas delante de los invitados."
medir as palavras
Transliteration: medir as palavras
Script: Medir as palavras
"É melhor medir as palavras quando falar com o chefe."
शिष्टता बनाए रखना
Transliteration: shishtata banaye rakhna
"मेहमानों के सामने अपनी शिष्टता बनाए रखें।"
谨言慎行
Transliteration: jǐn yán shèn xíng
"在正式场合一定要谨言慎行。"
말과 행동을 조심하다
Transliteration: malgwa haeng-dong-eul josimhada
"어른들 앞에서 말과 행동을 조심해야 한다."
言葉遣いに気をつける
Transliteration: kotobazukai ni ki o tsukeru
"目上の人の前では言葉遣いに気をつけなさい。"
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A man in relation to his natural child or children.
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