/esˈtaɾ ˈentɾe la esˈpaða i la paˈɾeð/ lit. ‘to be between the sword and the wall’
Spanish idiom, everyday. To be in trouble or a difficult situation.
Draft Not yet checked by a native Spanish speaker.
How do people use Estar entre la espada y la pared
?
Everyday Spanish, fine in speech or a newspaper. It’s for a tight spot where every way out is bad. “Poner a alguien entre la espada y la pared” means to corner someone and force a decision.
Also said poner a alguien entre la espada y la pared, verse entre la espada y la pared
Estar entre la espada y la pared
in real sentences
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Tom está entre la espada y la pared.
Tom is caught between a rock and a hard place.
Tatoeba, sentence by Shishir, translation by CK, CC BY 2.0 FR
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En cuanto paguemos el alquiler a los patronos no tendremos más dinero para comer; estamos entre la espada y la pared.
If we pay the rent to the landlady, we won’t have any money for food; we are between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Tatoeba, sentence by termito2nd, translation by auxitt, CC BY 2.0 FR
Where does Estar entre la espada y la pared
come from?
The picture is a fighter backed against a wall with a blade at their chest, with nowhere to step back. English Wiktionary glosses it as “between a rock and a hard place” and the RAE lists it, but there’s no recorded first date or origin story.
Mistakes learners make with Estar entre la espada y la pared
Using it for any small problem. It means you’re cornered with no good choice, so a late bus doesn’t qualify.
Other Spanish idioms like Estar entre la espada y la pared
Spot a mistake in Estar entre la espada y la pared
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Send a correction, or a sentence you’d actually say with it. Everything is read before anything on this page changes.