Spanish for Gunfighters?

[Overman]

I'm reading Gabriel Suarez's "The Tactical Pistol" where hes' talking about what to say during a fight (e.g. "STOP! DON'T MOVE! HALT!). He says:

Consider the fact that English may not be the predominant language in some urban areas. ...a few properly memorized words and phrases in the appropriate language might be useful.

.

Where I live, that would mean Spanish. Has anyone compiled a list of such words and phrases, so I can save myself a little time?

[918sgt]

After working at a southwest police department in Arizona for the last 20 years I've found that a large caliber pistol/revolver pointed at someone's head is pretty much a universal language. Very little room for mis-understanding.

[Mannlicher]

more useless advice................

I think most folks intuitivly understand what is meant when you point your .45 at them and yell "Drop it ###hole".

[Greenfurniture]

I would have to agree. When you're showing them your pill thrower, they're going to understand.

Of course in a gun fight there is very little, if any, time for conversation.

[marshall2]

¡Parada! ¡No SE MUEVA! ¡Alto! is the same as
Stop! Don't move! Halt!

[Superhornet]

Bang, bang, bang....Peligro

[marshall2]

When I was a boy, I used to watch the Cisco Kid and Pancho on TV. Kind of a Mexican Lone Ranger and Tonto. Lots of good Spanish there, I think. Sure were a lot of TV shows about good guy gun fighters when I was a kid! Gunsmoke, Paladin, Hopalong Cassidy, Wyatt Earp, the Rifleman, Johnny Mack Brown, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and the list goes on. Those were the "good old days!"

[Duxman]

How would you know if your friendly neighborhood BG speaks Spanish or English or Chinese for that matter? Are you going to ask? (Right before he shoots first?)

[BreacherUp!]

Overman brings up a valid point. I have read countless times, on this forum, where everyone has their words/phrases before shooting. Should it be any different for another language? I don't think so. In many of the scenarios posted right here on TFL, people have had to make some sort of verbal confrontation that either leads to a trigger from orange to red, or a safety (de-escalation). Being in yellow may also mean knowing that English is just not working.

[Topthis]

Personally, I think that any type of loud commands along with your favorite (or handy) sidearm out would get the message across. I would like to try "Mayimommodogfacetothebananapatch!!!" if I ever get the chance.

[beenthere]

This is a meaningless thread because we all know foreigners only come here to pick fruit, dig ditches and work in the computer industry. No chance of their ever performing forced entry and bodily harm. The ones to fear are the WASP's, especially the radicals who work and go to church as a cover. They will all speak Oxford style English.

[Erick Gelhaus]

Marshal-
Good serious response to a very legitimate question. Only difference is I've never seen the Parada part, so mine is "No se mueve! Alto! Policia!"

Funny part is that I'm finding I routinely revert to street Spanish where I'm at currently. Doesn't work, but it does get everyones attention where the gringo starts yelling it.

[quiettype1]

I've learned alot of spanish over the past 25 years.Spent a few years in south america(Colombia).Let me know specifically what you want to say and I'll try to help.

[wayneinFL]

Is it really going to matter what you say, as much as how you say it? If you're holding a gun on somebody and saying anything loudly in an authoritative voice, they're either going to put down a weapon, use it on you, or run away.

I suppose he might stand there and stare blankly at you, but that's 'cause he's drunk or on drugs, and that happens no matter what language is involved.

Suppose you take the position that your adversary must understand you. If you are going to take this position consider this: Let's say you use spanish to speak to someone who looks "hispanic". What do you when when you shoot them and find out they didn't undertand you, because they never understood a word of spanish?

Of course the above is my opinion of what a regular guy stopping an attack should be concerned with. LEO would be arresting somebody at gunpoint and that would be a little more complicated, and may neccessitate more specific commands.

[texas07]

1) Duxman: at the risk of sounding racist (which i most definately am NOT...my best friend i've ever had is hispanic), down here in Texas, you can usually guess with pretty accurate results who you can speak english to and who needs spanish... I realize that may not be the case in VA.

2)Overman: as a kid i had a job as a lifeguard at our local city pool. as a lifeguard you spent about 60% of your time telling kids to stop running. do to local demographics, we had a large number of hispanic kids who couldnt understand our english commands. i finally started using the command ALTO! when i needed to stop one of them... I found that a loudly shouted ALTO got nearly every hispanic person at the pool to freeze in their tracks and look up at me... worked pretty darn well i should say!!! while the two situations arent nearly the same thing, alto worked so well for me, if i ever had to shout spanish while pointing a gun, i think alto would be my one-size-fits-all word...

[Double Naught Spy]

I seem to have trouble worrying about folks coming to the US, not knowing English, and me having to issue commands in a language I don't know.

It is the responsibility of the crook/bad guy to know the predominate language of the land. In the US, that is English. It isn't my fault if he fails to comply with my commands. I don't have time to make a language assessment of each member of the opposition in a life or death situation and if I have my gun drawn, it is turning into a life or death situation as I undboubtedly feel threatened.

When it comes to the bad guys, ignorance of the law isn't a valid excuse, nor is ignorance of the language.

In the words of my boss, there are inherent risks in going outside, to which I would add, when you don't know the language and are breaking the law.

[Overman]

It is the responsibility of the crook/bad guy to know the predominate language of the land

I am not looking to learn a few choice phrases to make any BG's life easier, or to relieve him of the responsibility to learn the language of the land. My intentions are purely selfish, and tactical.

It isn't my fault if he fails to comply with my commands.

I don't care WHOSE fault it is. I'd rather be able to de-fuse a bad situation with a few choice words than have to end up shooting the SOB and end up with THAT mess (lawyers, possible arrest, reporters with an agenda, a sheriff who hates civilian CCW, etc.) If a half-hour of learning a few choice phrases can make that difference, I couldn't care LESS if the bad guy really should be better educated. As a tactician, who is looking to get out of a bad situation with minimal harm to myself or my wallet or my freedom, that just makes sense.

[jonathon]

Think the duty end of my piece will speak in tongues for me, 'nough said.

Bang, bang, bang....Peligro

That sir, is priceless

[chris in va]

Boy I tell ya. We've got some real prizewinners here in N. VA. Just today I was out fishing off a pier at a local lake with my friend's teen girls. They went off to get some sodas at the shack, only to have 5 spanish guys cut them off asking their names and preventing further progress. They ran toward one of the park employees hoping the guys would get the message to go away, and they did eventually.

This trash just doesn't care about American ways and can't wait to 'take advantage' of everything, including young girls.

I need to learn some commands in spanish soon, but I refuse to learn their language.

[KSFreeman]

So, your friend's teenage daughters speak Spanish then?

From the people that I work for I understand that "Alto" is used by Mexican police. It is very effective as "Alto" is usually quickly followed by gunfire (outside the cities especially) so compliance is usually very swift.

Alto--stop
levante sus manos--raise your hands
ahora mismo-immediately; right now

[butch50]

You might remember Alto in an adrenaline situation, you might not. I doubt if you are going to remember a string of words unless you are already very very familiar with them.

Try practicing this: "STOP, ALTO" followed by the click of the safety coming off. I think the click will be universal enough.

[MrBill]

The hell with warning anyone in "their" language. If this takes place in the U.S., IT'S ENGLISH AND ONLY ENGLISH. If they don't stop, or comply with your commands, that's their problem..take them out. I'm saddened anyone has to ask this. Don't allow this mentality to grow as it has with Less than Lethal, Impact, and all other sort of crap that removes responsibility from the criminal/idiot/crazy/alien, and unto the officer on the street. If they say "?que?", just press trigger and repeat as necessary and don't ever mention any doubts or questions in regards to your thoughts on possiblities.

[Eghad]

most people understand what a pistol is....and that you have it drawn because a bad thing is fixing to happen. If I was in Korea nad a policeman pointed a pistol at me I wouldnt even need to know what he was saying.......

I would be raising my hands palms forward and standing very still

[David Armstrong]

more useless advice

+1. That has got to be some of the most worthless advice offered from a source that is known for pretty questionable advice. Unless your "urban area" is in another country (where you should know some of the native tongue) you can be pretty confident that "Stop" and "Halt" are commands that will be recognized.

[Erik]

I've had quite a bit of compliance earned by punctuation my English commands with "...o desparo."

No gaurantee on the spelling, it means "or I'll shoot." If it doesn't, it works as if it does.