Hacer buenas migas
/ah-SEHR BWEH-nahs MEE-gahs/
To get along well with someone; to hit it off.
💡 Understanding the Idiom
🎨 Literal vs. Figurative
Literally, 'hacer buenas migas' means 'to make good crumbs'.
In practice, it means to get along well with someone or to 'hit it off'.
Key Words in This Idiom:
📝 In Action
Desde el primer día, mi nueva compañera de piso y yo hicimos buenas migas.
B1From the first day, my new roommate and I hit it off.
Parece que tu perro y mi gato han hecho buenas migas, ¡no paran de jugar!
B2It seems your dog and my cat have gotten along well, they won't stop playing!
📜 Origin Story
This phrase comes from the humble traditions of Spanish shepherds. For centuries, their staple meal was 'migas,' a hearty dish made by frying old breadcrumbs with garlic, olive oil, and whatever else they had. Shepherds would often pool their ingredients and cook this meal in a large, shared pan. The act of 'making good crumbs' together became a symbol of camaraderie and friendship. If you could share your food and get along while cooking, you were true companions.
⭐ Usage Tips
For Instant Connections
Use 'hacer buenas migas' to describe when two people meet and immediately get along. It emphasizes a quick, easy, and natural friendship or positive relationship.
The Key Preposition: 'con'
Remember to use it with 'con' (with). The structure is 'hacer buenas migas CON alguien'. For example, 'Hice buenas migas con tu hermano' means 'I hit it off with your brother'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Not Just for Cooking
Mistake: "Thinking the phrase can only be used when people are actually sharing food."
Correction: This expression is almost always figurative. It has nothing to do with food and everything to do with social compatibility. You can 'hacer buenas migas' with a new coworker, a neighbor, or even a friend's pet.
🌎 Where It's Used
Spain
Extremely common and universally understood. The connection to the traditional dish 'migas' makes it particularly resonant.
Latin America
Widely understood and used in many countries, especially in Mexico and Argentina. However, some regions might prefer 'llevarse bien' as a more frequent alternative.
🔗 Related Idioms
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: Hacer buenas migas
Question 1 of 1
If you say 'Ana y Carlos hicieron buenas migas', what does it mean?
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 'hacer MALAS migas' for the opposite?
Yes, you absolutely can! 'Hacer malas migas' is the direct opposite and means to not get along or to be on bad terms with someone. For example, 'Ellos dos hacen malas migas' means 'Those two don't get along'.