Caer en saco roto
/kah-EHR en SAH-koh ROH-toh/
To be ignored, disregarded, or to come to nothing. It's used for advice, suggestions, or efforts that are completely wasted.
💡 Understanding the Idiom
🎨 Literal vs. Figurative
Literally, this means 'to fall into a broken sack'.
In reality, it means that advice or efforts are being ignored and wasted.
Key Words in This Idiom:
📝 In Action
Todos mis consejos cayeron en saco roto; no me hizo caso en absoluto.
B2All my advice fell on deaf ears; he didn't listen to me at all.
Espero que nuestras peticiones al ayuntamiento no caigan en saco roto.
B2I hope our requests to the city council aren't ignored.
Todo el esfuerzo del equipo cayó en saco roto por un error de último minuto.
C1The team's entire effort was for nothing because of a last-minute mistake.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom comes from a very simple, visual idea. Imagine trying to carry something valuable, like grain or coins, in a sack that has a big hole in it. No matter how much you put in, it all falls out and is lost. Your effort is completely pointless. The expression applies this physical image to non-physical things like advice, warnings, or hard work. When they 'fall into a broken sack,' it means they are lost, ignored, and have no effect.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use it for Wasted Efforts
This is the perfect phrase when you want to express frustration that advice, requests, or hard work have been completely ignored or have had zero impact.
Remember the Verb Changes
The verb 'caer' (to fall) needs to match what is being ignored. If it's one thing, use 'cayó' (it fell). If it's multiple things, use 'cayeron' (they fell). For example: 'Mi consejo cayó...' vs. 'Mis consejos cayeron...'
❌ Common Pitfalls
It's for Ideas, Not People
Mistake: "Using the phrase to describe a person literally falling. For example, 'El hombre cayó en saco roto.'"
Correction: This idiom is only for abstract things like words, efforts, and ideas. If you want to say someone fell, you would just use the verb 'caerse', like 'El hombre se cayó'.
📚 Related Grammar
Want to understand the grammar behind this idiom? Explore these lessons for a deep dive:
The Preterite Tense: Common Irregulars
This idiom is often used to talk about past failure, requiring the preterite tense, like when we say 'Todos mis consejos cayeron' (they fell) or 'Todo el esfuerzo cayó' (it fell).
Subjunctive for Wishes, Emotions, and Doubts
When you express hope that your efforts won't be wasted, you must use the subjunctive, as seen in the phrase 'Espero que nuestras peticiones no caigan' (I hope they don't fall).
🌎 Where It's Used
Spain
Extremely common. You'll hear it in conversations, read it in the news, and see it in books.
Latin America
Widely understood and used across the continent. It's considered a standard, universal Spanish expression.
🔗 Related Idioms
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: Caer en saco roto
Question 1 of 1
If a manager says, 'Nuestras propuestas cayeron en saco roto', what does she mean?
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'caer en saco roto' a formal or informal expression?
It's quite neutral, so you can use it in almost any situation. It's common in everyday conversation with friends ('Mis consejos a Juan cayeron en saco roto') and also appropriate in formal or professional settings, like in a news report ('Las advertencias de los economistas cayeron en saco roto').