Inklingo
Get the App

De tal palo tal astilla

/deh tal PAH-loh tal ahs-TEE-yah/

A child has the same qualities, behaviors, or faults as their parents.

Level:B1Register:InformalCommon:★★★★★

💡 Understanding the Idiom

Literal Translation:
"From such a stick, such a splinter."
What It Really Means:
A child has the same qualities, behaviors, or faults as their parents.
English Equivalents:
The apple doesn't fall far from the treeLike father, like sonA chip off the old block

🎨 Literal vs. Figurative

💭 Literal
A literal depiction of the idiom, showing a large wooden stick with a small splinter that looks exactly like it, both with cartoon faces.

Literally, this means 'From such a stick, such a splinter.'

✨ Figurative
The figurative meaning of the idiom, showing a father and son who share a clear, similar hobby or trait, like both playing the guitar.

It means a child is very similar to their parent, like 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree'.

Key Words in This Idiom:

paloastilla

📝 In Action

A Juan le encanta cocinar, igual que a su padre. De tal palo, tal astilla.

B1

Juan 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!

B1

Her daughter is as stubborn as she is. Like mother, like daughter!

📜 Origin Story

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.

⭐ Usage Tips

For Good or Bad Traits

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.

Gender Neutral

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.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Not Just for Looks

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.

🌎 Where It's Used

🇪🇸

Spain

Extremely common and universally understood.

🌎

Latin America

Extremely common and universally understood across all countries.

🔗 Related Idioms

↔️Similar Meanings

Hijo de tigre, pintito

Son of a tiger, little stripes (a child inherits the parents' traits).

⇆Opposite Meanings

Ser la oveja negra

To be the black sheep (the different one in the family).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: De tal palo tal astilla

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?

🏷️ Tags

FamilyCommonly UsedNature

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 'De tal palo, tal astilla' as a compliment?

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.