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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.

Level:B2Register:NeutralCommon:★★★★☆

💡 Understanding the Idiom

Literal Translation:
"To fall into a broken sack."
What It Really Means:
To be ignored, disregarded, or to come to nothing. It's used for advice, suggestions, or efforts that are completely wasted.
English Equivalents:
To fall on deaf earsTo go in one ear and out the otherTo be for nothingTo be a wasted effort

🎨 Literal vs. Figurative

💭 Literal
A literal depiction of 'caer en saco roto', showing items falling through a large hole in the bottom of a sack.

Literally, this means 'to fall into a broken sack'.

✨ Figurative
The figurative meaning of 'caer en saco roto', where a person gives advice to someone who is clearly not listening.

In reality, it means that advice or efforts are being ignored and wasted.

Key Words in This Idiom:

caersacoroto

📝 In Action

Todos mis consejos cayeron en saco roto; no me hizo caso en absoluto.

B2

All 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.

B2

I 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.

C1

The 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'.

🌎 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

↔️Similar Meanings

predicar en el desierto

To preach in the desert; to speak without being heard.

entrar por un oído y salir por el otro

To go in one ear and out the other.

⇆Opposite Meanings

tomar nota (de algo)

To take note (of something), to pay attention.

hacer caso (a alguien)

To pay attention (to someone), to heed advice.

✏️ 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

Commonly UsedFailureSocial Interactions

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').