Example: Después de escuchar todo, pude atar cabos rápidamente.
Definition
"Atar cabos" is a Spanish expression meaning to connect pieces of information or clues in order to understand a situation or solve a problem, similar to the English phrase 'to piece things together.' For example, after hearing everything, one can quickly 'atar cabos.'
The phrase "atar cabos" literally means 'to tie ends' in Spanish, referring to the act of tying loose ends of a rope. Figuratively, it evolved to mean connecting separate pieces of information, much like tying the ends of a story or problem to make sense of it.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Atar cabos" appears in the Vocaplus list "Spanish - General - Modismos y refranes - (C2) - parte 1", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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to connect the dots