To beat around the bush | Irse por las ramas

  • Post author:
  • Reading time:2 mins read

Hello! Are you prone like me to beating around the bush? Then, you have to know how to properly use the phrase in Spanish!

In this expression we are drawing the attention to the fact that the other person or ourselves are straying too far from the original topic of the conversation.

I like the visual of this expression. It makes me think of a little monkey jumping from one branch to another, and then to another tree, and oops, into a city.

We can use it in the NEGATIVE IMPERATIVE:

  • Pará, no te vayas por las ramas.

With the CONTINUOUS periphrasis:

  • Perdón, me estoy yendo por las ramas.

In the PAST

  • Se fueron por las ramas y todo quedó en la nada.

As well as in the PRESENTE

  • Siempre te vas por las ramas.

There you go. Another idiom for your collection.

Until next time,

Thanks for reading, and happy Spanish learning,


You might also want to read these articles:

  • On Huevos and Pelotas
    Rich metaphors await to those who dare to read this post.
  • False expectations are deadly
    In language learning, false expectations can do real damage. Here’s why patience and perseverance win the race.
  • Argentinian Spanish vs Mexican Spanish
    In the past, I compared Argentinian Spanish to Peninsular Spanish and Uruguayan Spanish. Here’s the long due AR / MX comparison.
  • Cognates and False Friends
    Learn about cognates and false cognates so they don’t surprise further down in your Spanish learning journey.
  • Cancherear
    Dive into the nuances of the word ‘canchero’ and how ‘cancherear’ can make or break a moment.
  • Hacer una vaquita
    I’m not going to argue how ridiculous this phrase may sound at first. Let me just tell you what it means in Argentina.

Leave a Reply