IdiomThe Absurd
Spanish
SpanishBuscar una aguja en un pajar
Meaning: To search for something you have almost no chance of finding, because the thing is tiny and the place holding it is vast.
Literally: To look for a needle in a haystack
Example: “Encontrar ese pendiente en la playa es buscar una aguja en un pajar.” — Finding that earring on the beach is looking for a needle in a haystack.
English equivalent: To look for a needle in a haystack
Equivalents in other languages
English: Look for a needle in a haystack
French: Chercher une aiguille dans une botte de foin Literally: To look for a needle in a bundle of hay
German: Eine Nadel im Heuhaufen suchen Literally: To search for a needle in the haystack
Origin: A pajar is not a heap in a field but the loft or barn where straw is kept, from paja, straw. The Spanish picture is a shade larger than the English one: not one stack to sift through, but a whole building full of it.
More Spanish idioms
- Matar dos pájaros de un tiro To get two things done with a single action.
- Dijo la sartén al cazo Said when someone criticizes another person for a fault they have themselves.
- Sale más caro el collar que el perro The extras or upkeep end up costing more than the thing itself, so it isn't worth it.
- Estar en la edad del pavo To be at an awkward teenage phase.
- Tener mala leche To be in a foul mood or have bad intentions.
- No tener pelos en la lengua To speak very bluntly and honestly.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Eres un sol You're a lovely, warm-hearted person.
- Eres más bueno que el pan You are a genuinely good, kind soul.
- Tienes menos luces que un barco pirata You're really not the brightest.
Keep exploring