SpanishTomar el pelo
Meaning: To pull someone's leg; to tease.
Literally: To take someone's hair
Example: “¿Ganaste la lotería o me estás tomando el pelo?” — Did you win the lottery, or are you pulling my leg?
English equivalent: To pull someone's leg
Origin: The exact origin is genuinely uncertain, with two competing historical theories. One reaches for the Roman and medieval periods, when a beard carried real social importance, and touching or pulling someone's beard without permission was a serious insult, potentially provocation enough for a duel. A second points to the disciplinary haircuts historically given to new prisoners and military recruits as a hygiene measure — a practice widely experienced as a deliberate humiliation rather than a neutral procedure. Both theories converge on the same underlying idea: taking hold of someone's hair, in whatever context, as an act of mockery or degradation directed at a person who has no say in the matter — the same lack of control a person being teased or deceived experiences today.
Equivalents in other languages
German: jemandem einen Bären aufbinden Literally: To tie a bear to someone
English: pull someone's leg
Welsh: Tynnu blewyn o drwyn Literally: To pull a hair from the nose
French: Se payer la tête de quelqu'un Literally: To treat oneself to someone's head
Dutch: een loopje nemen Literally: To take a little run with someone
More Spanish idioms
- Ponerse las botas To stuff yourself with food or to profit greatly.
- estar en la luna de Valencia Completely distracted or absent-minded, oblivious to what's happening around you.
- irse por los cerros de Úbeda To digress or wander off-topic during conversation without purpose or reason.
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- estar más claro que el agua Something is obvious, evident, and beyond any doubt or confusion.
- tener un rabo de paja To feel guilty or anxious about something, fearing exposure of a personal fault or secret.
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