Spanisharrimar el ascua a su sardina
Meaning: To arrange matters selfishly in one's own favor; to look out for oneself at others' expense.
Literally: To draw the hot coal toward one's sardine
Example: “Cada departamento arrima el ascua a su sardina cuando se reparte el presupuesto.” — Every department looks out for number one when the budget is shared out.
English equivalent: To look out for number one
Equivalents in other languages
Estonian: Iga kana kraabib enda poole Literally: Every hen scratches toward itself
Italian: tirare l'acqua al proprio mulino Literally: To pull the water to one's own mill
English: look out for number one
Origin: Pulling the embers (ascua) toward one's own sardine, so that it cooks while others' do not, is looking after oneself at others' expense. The usual explanation places it among Andalusian farm laborers who grilled sardines on a shared fire during their break, but that account is not documented. Portuguese has the same phrase, puxar a brasa à sua sardinha.
More Spanish idioms
- contante y sonante Money in ready cash; actual payment rather than promises or credit.
- lobo con piel de cordero A person who appears harmless or trustworthy but is actually dangerous or deceitful.
- dar coces contra el aguijón To resist or rebel futilely against something stronger or inevitable.
- no ganar para sustos To be plagued by constant troubles and misfortunes; to suffer setback after setback.
- perder la chaveta To go crazy; to lose one's grip on sanity or self-control.
- de Pascuas a Ramos Once in a blue moon; extremely rarely or at great intervals.
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