Dar en el clavo
/dar en el KLAH-boh/
To be exactly right, to guess correctly, or to make a perfect point.
💡 Understanding the Idiom
🎨 Literal vs. Figurative
Literally, the phrase means 'to hit on the nail'.
In reality, it means to be perfectly accurate with a comment or guess.
Key Words in This Idiom:
📝 In Action
¡Exacto! Con esa respuesta, diste en el clavo.
B2Exactly! With that answer, you hit the nail on the head.
El consultor analizó el problema de la empresa y dio en el clavo con su solución.
B2The consultant analyzed the company's problem and was spot on with his solution.
No sabía qué regalarle, pero con este libro di en el clavo. ¡Le encantó!
B2I didn't know what to get him, but with this book I got it just right. He loved it!
📜 Origin Story
This idiom comes from a very straightforward, physical act: carpentry. Imagine trying to hammer a nail. Hitting it perfectly on its small head requires precision and skill. The phrase takes this image of physical accuracy and applies it to intellectual or verbal accuracy. Just like a skilled carpenter hits the nail perfectly, someone who 'da en el clavo' makes a perfectly accurate statement, guess, or observation.
⭐ Usage Tips
Praise for Precision
Use 'dar en el clavo' to congratulate someone for being exactly right. It’s a fantastic way to say 'You got it!' or 'That's exactly the point!' It can be used for a correct answer, a perfect description, or a wise observation.
Remember to Conjugate 'Dar'
The key verb here is 'dar' (to give/hit), and it needs to change depending on who you're talking about and when it happened. For example: 'Siempre das en el clavo' (You always get it right), or 'Ayer, María dio en el clavo' (Yesterday, María hit the nail on the head).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing it up with 'clavar'
Mistake: "Sometimes learners use the verb 'clavar' (to nail/hammer) instead of 'dar', saying something like '*clavaste el clavo*'."
Correction: While 'clavar un clavo' is the literal action of hammering a nail, the idiom is fixed as 'dar en el clavo'. Always use the verb 'dar' for the figurative meaning.
🌎 Where It's Used
Spain
Extremely common and universally understood in all contexts.
Latin America
Very common and widely understood across all countries. It's a standard idiom in the Spanish-speaking world.
🔗 Related Idioms
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: Dar en el clavo
Question 1 of 1
Your friend correctly guesses the surprise ending of a movie. What can you say to them?
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'dar en el clavo' only for positive situations?
Yes, it's almost always positive. It signifies correctness, accuracy, and success. You wouldn't use it to describe something negative, unless you're ironically saying someone perfectly identified a terrible problem.