ah-SEHR-seh per-DEETH
Literally, this means 'to make oneself a partridge'.
In practice, it means to disappear or make yourself scarce to avoid something.
Cuando llegó el momento de pagar la cuenta, Juan se hizo perdiz.
B2When 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.
B2I asked him to help me with the move, but he did a disappearing act and didn't answer my calls.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Very common and widely used in everyday informal conversation.
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.
Question 1 of 1
If your roommate 'se hizo perdiz' when it was time to do the dishes, what did they do?
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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.