deh tal PAH-loh tal ahs-TEE-yah
Literally, this means 'From such a stick, such a splinter.'
It means a child is very similar to their parent, like 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree'.
A Juan le encanta cocinar, igual que a su padre. De tal palo, tal astilla.
B1Juan loves to cook, just like his father. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Su hija es tan terca como ella. ¡De tal palo, tal astilla!
B1Her daughter is as stubborn as she is. Like mother, like daughter!
This saying comes from the world of woodworking. A splinter ('astilla') taken from a piece of wood ('palo') will always have the same characteristics—the same grain, color, and texture—as the original piece. The metaphor was then applied to families, suggesting that children inevitably inherit traits and behaviors from their parents, just as a splinter is a tiny piece of the original block.
You can use this for both positive and negative traits. If a son is a great musician like his father, or if he's as messy as his father, the phrase fits perfectly.
Although a common English equivalent is 'like father, like son,' the Spanish phrase is completely neutral. It works for mothers and daughters, fathers and daughters, mothers and sons, etc.
Mistake: “Thinking this idiom only refers to physical appearance.”
Correction: While it can describe physical resemblance, it's more often used to talk about personality, habits, talents, or behaviors that are passed down from a parent to a child.
Want to understand the grammar behind this idiom? Explore these lessons for a deep dive:
The idiom itself is about comparison, and the examples use phrases like 'igual que' and the structure 'tan terca como' to express similarity between the parent and child.
The example 'Su hija es tan terca' uses the verb 'ser' (es) correctly because stubbornness is described as a permanent personality trait, not a temporary feeling.
Extremely common and universally understood.
Extremely common and universally understood across all countries.
Question 1 of 1
You see your friend's son arguing passionately about politics, just like his mother always does. What would be a perfect idiom to use?
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Absolutely! If a parent has a wonderful quality (like being generous or a talented artist) and you see it in their child, saying 'de tal palo, tal astilla' is a lovely compliment to both of them.