Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
ponete las pilas; ponete las pilas
English translation:
get your act together, get with it
Spanish term
ponete las pilas
Gracias!
Jul 23, 2011 10:19: Michael Powers (PhD) Created KOG entry
Jul 23, 2011 10:20: Michael Powers (PhD) changed "Field" from "Other" to "Social Sciences" , "Field (specific)" from "Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc." to "Idioms / Maxims / Sayings"
Proposed translations
United States
US Court Cert. 1980 Ph.D. 1981
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, Portuguese to English, English to Spanish, and 2 more.
get your act together, get with it
Mike
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Christine Walsh
: Si estás en Argentina o Uruguay, 'ponete' es lo más común, pero significa lo mismo
8 mins
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La verdad, en el Cono Sur es "ponete" -me imagino que será así también en Paraguay - Mike
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Jenni Lukac (X)
21 mins
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Thank you, Jenni - Mike
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Esperanza González
: "Ponte las pilas" para México.
24 mins
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Que yo sepa, sólo es el Cono Sur donde usan "ponete las pilas" - Mike
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Aisha Prigan (X)
47 mins
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Gracias, Aisha - Mike
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liz askew
: This is what I say to my two teenagers:)
2 hrs
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Teenagers - mis pésames - I had four - now the youngest is 20, but even that is no magic bullet - Mike
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Mónica Algazi
3 hrs
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Thank you, Mónica - Mike
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anademahomar
: Ponete las pilas es sumamente comun en Honduras
5 hrs
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En Honduras es "ponete" también - no sabía, gracias - Mike
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Victoria Frazier
6 hrs
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Gracias, Victoria - Mike
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Pull your socks up / Pull your finger out / Liven up
Three expressions that immediately spring to mind, but I'm sure there are plenty more. It would really depend on how you intend to use it.
Good luck,
Álvaro :O)
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Christine Walsh
: I use the first with my students. Saludos
7 mins
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Thanks Christine. Saludos también para ti. :O)
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United Kingdom
get down to it / get cracking
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Lindsay Spratt
30 mins
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Mónica Algazi
2 hrs
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franglish
: (turns boat on and it burns Barnacleboy) C'mon, get a move on son. We don't have all day. Ignition...on. (pushes a button) Mermaidman: Throttle...on. ...
3 hrs
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Get it in gear
Maybe Nike said it best: "Just DO IT!"
19 Jul 2010 – 1. The act of pulling ones head out of his/hers ass and getting the shit done. 2. The definition of what it takes for Congress to pass a law ...
www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term... - Cached
Urban Dictionary: get it in gearChiefly British. Someone who procures customers for whores. The English word ...
www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term...page=4 - Cached
Urban Dictionary: get it in gearThis phrase can mean a lot, perhaps to much. In some circumstances it can be ...
www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term...page=2 - Cached
Show more results from urbandictionary.comGet it in Gear |Get It In Gear health and fitness will tone you up focus on those trouble ... Generally speaking women want to have a lean, defined body whereas men want ...
www.getitingear.com.au/ - Cached
Get It In Gear | Confident FaithGet It In Gear. Some say, “Good things come to those who wait. ... Define the steps needed to work the plan. Then make like a gear and mesh along down the ...
confidentfaith.com/articles/get-it-in-gear/ - Cached
HELP, can't get it in gear - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum9 posts - 7 authors - Last post: 15 Jun 2008
LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum: HELP, can't get it in gear - LR4x4 - The ... this morning I drove my def. 90 200 Tdi about 6 miles to pick up ...
forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=27895 - Cached
Get more discussion results
Dave's Reflections » Blog Archive » Semantic Workbench, Get It In Gear21 Sep 2010 – Semantic Workbench, Get It In Gear ... As Paul and I spoke and I tried to define my vision around the project, I realized that I was being ...
monead.com/blog/?p=743 - Cached
Saludos
eski :))
saludos,
eski
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Muriel Vasconcellos (X)
4 hrs
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Thanks AGAIN & Muchos saludos, Muriel, eski :))
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United Kingdom
WorldWideWords
Native in: English (Variant: UK)
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, Portuguese to English
Let's get going/Let's crack on
"Pull your socks up" or "get your act together" are both slightly critical IMO, and directed at an individual rather than a universal "let's get going". It all depends on the context and the real nuance in the original Spanish.
Spain
Especialista de marketing
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, Catalan to English
get moving / get a move on / put/get your skates on
Get your skates on
If you haven't yet renewed your membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, you might like to **get your skates on** because the new year starts on 1 March – next Tuesday!
http://www.pjonline.com/newsletter/get_your_skates_on
**Get your skates on** Dave and Nick - time's running out!
Since I wrote the blog about people shielding themselves from the realities of our economic climate with Joo Janta 200 Super-Chromatic Peril Sensitive Sunglasses, it appears that many people have taken them off!
http://www.mortgageintroducer.com/blogengine/post/Get-your-s...
Discussion
I agree with the meaning that it means someone has been slacking off and needs to get a move on it and put some energy and effort back into what he or she was doing.
Thanks, Mike
Mike: Pull your socks up is very common in the UK, and, as Simon points out, it does imply that someone has been doing rather less than being energetic/proactive/executive up to that point.
For me "ponte las pilas" doesn't include any initial criticism, merely that the need for energetic action is now a reality.