“Bell” you may know. There are church bells (campanas), door bells (timbres), bells for cows (cencerros) and goats, and if you are a sailor there are two/eight bells (las medias horas de cada guardia marítima).
There are some expressions:
- If something “rings a bell”, it means that it sounds familiar (me suena). Or perhaps something does not ring a bell (no me suena).
- “I will give you a bell” (te llamaré). Why the use of the word “bell” in this sentence? Who developed the telephone? An American called Alexander Bell. Hence the origin of the use of this phrase.
- On the telephone or in general situations, you may ask someone: can you hear me? Your reply: as clear as a bell (con toda claridad). This means that the sound is easy to hear and very audible (oíble).
- Someone can be saved “by the bell”. This means that something stopped just in time to avoid a difficult situation (se salvo por los pelos). In boxing a boxer can be saved by the bell (le salvo la campana).
