Hacerse perdiz

/ah-SEHR-seh per-DEETH/

To disappear, vanish, or make oneself scarce, especially to avoid a responsibility or an unpleasant situation.

Level:B2Register:InformalCommon:★★★☆☆

💡 Understanding the Idiom

Literal Translation:

"To make oneself a partridge."

What It Really Means:

To disappear, vanish, or make oneself scarce, especially to avoid a responsibility or an unpleasant situation.

English Equivalents:

To make oneself scarceTo do a disappearing actTo lie lowTo go AWOL

🎨 Literal vs. Figurative

💭 Literal

Literally, this means 'to make oneself a partridge'.

✨ Figurative

The actual meaning of 'hacerse perdiz', showing someone sneakily leaving a room where others are about to do chores.

In practice, it means to disappear or make yourself scarce to avoid something.

Key Words in This Idiom:

hacerse

to become

→

perdiz

📝 In Action

Cuando llegó el momento de pagar la cuenta, Juan se hizo perdiz.

When it was time to pay the bill, Juan made himself scarce.

Le pedí que me ayudara con la mudanza, pero se hizo perdiz y no contestó mis llamadas.

I asked him to help me with the move, but he did a disappearing act and didn't answer my calls.

📜 Origin Story

This expression comes from the world of hunting. Partridges are famous for their ability to hide and camouflage themselves in bushes and tall grass the moment they sense danger. A hunter might spot one, but if they look away for a second, the bird seems to have vanished. So, to 'make yourself a partridge' is to copy this bird's clever survival tactic: disappearing quickly to avoid being 'caught' for a task or responsibility.

⭐ Usage Tips

For Intentional Disappearing Acts

Use this phrase when someone deliberately vanishes to get out of doing work, paying for something, or facing a tough conversation. It has a slightly sneaky or cheeky feel to it.

Remember the 'se'

This is a 'reflexive' verb, which just means the action is done to oneself. You have to change the 'se' part to match who you're talking about: 'Yo me hago perdiz' (I make myself scarce), 'Tú te haces perdiz' (You make yourself scarce), etc.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Not for Being Genuinely Lost

Mistake: "Using it for someone who has accidentally gotten lost, like 'El niño se hizo perdiz en el centro comercial.'"

Correction: This idiom implies the person chose to disappear. For someone who is actually lost, you should say 'se perdió' (got lost). 'Hacerse perdiz' is always on purpose.

🌎 Where It's Used

🇪🇸

Spain

Very common and widely used in everyday informal conversation.

🌎

Latin America

It is understood in many countries, particularly in Argentina and Chile, but other local expressions are often more common. For example, in Mexico, 'hacerse pato' (to make oneself a duck) has a similar meaning of feigning ignorance to avoid something.

🔗 Related Idioms

↔️ Similar Meanings

escurrir el bulto

To shirk one's duty, to dodge responsibility.

dar esquinazo

To give someone the slip, to dodge someone.

⇆ Opposite Meanings

dar la cara

To face the music, to take responsibility.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: Hacerse perdiz

Question 1 of 1

If your roommate 'se hizo perdiz' when it was time to do the dishes, what did they do?

🏷️ Tags

AnimalsLies & DeceptionCommonly Used

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'hacerse perdiz' a negative or critical thing to say about someone?

It can be, but it's usually said in a lighthearted, slightly annoyed way. It points out that someone is cleverly avoiding their responsibilities, but it's not a harsh insult. The tone you use is very important.