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Irse por las ramas

/EER-seh por las RRAH-mas/

To get sidetracked, to go off on a tangent, or to beat around the bush.

Level:B2Register:InformalCommon:★★★★☆

💡 Understanding the Idiom

Literal Translation:
"To go by the branches"
What It Really Means:
To get sidetracked, to go off on a tangent, or to beat around the bush.
English Equivalents:
To beat around the bushTo go off on a tangentTo get sidetrackedTo digress

🎨 Literal vs. Figurative

💭 Literal
A literal, humorous depiction of 'irse por las ramas', showing a person climbing through the branches of a tree instead of walking on the clear path below.

Literally, this means 'to go by the branches,' avoiding the main path or trunk.

✨ Figurative
The actual meaning of 'irse por las ramas', showing someone telling a story and getting distracted by unrelated details.

In practice, it means to get lost in unimportant details and avoid the main point.

Key Words in This Idiom:

irseramas

📝 In Action

Por favor, ve al grano y no te vayas por las ramas.

B2

Please, get to the point and don't beat around the bush.

Le pregunté qué tal el examen y se fue por las ramas, hablando del tiempo y de la comida de la cafetería.

B2

I asked him how the exam went and he went off on a tangent, talking about the weather and the cafeteria food.

El político es un experto en irse por las ramas para no contestar las preguntas difíciles.

C1

The politician is an expert at beating around the bush to avoid answering difficult questions.

📜 Origin Story

This idiom paints a vivid picture. Imagine you're walking through a forest. The quickest way to get through is to follow the main path or stick close to the tree trunks. If you start climbing into the branches, you get tangled, lose your way, and never reach your destination. The same goes for a conversation: the 'trunk' is the main topic, and the 'branches' are all the distracting, secondary details that take you away from the point.

⭐ Usage Tips

When Someone is Avoiding the Point

Use this when you feel someone is talking about everything except the important topic. It can be because they're nervous, trying to hide something, or just disorganized in their thoughts. It's a great way to say 'Get back on topic!'

Admitting Your Own Digression

You can also use it on yourself. If you realize you're rambling, you can say, 'Perdón, me estoy yendo por las ramas. Vuelvo al tema.' (Sorry, I'm getting sidetracked. Back to the topic.) This shows self-awareness and is very natural.

❌ Common Pitfalls

It's Not About Lying

Mistake: "Thinking 'irse por las ramas' means the person is actively lying."

Correction: While someone might beat around the bush to avoid telling the truth, the idiom itself just means 'to get sidetracked.' The focus is on the deviation from the main topic, not necessarily on deception. Its opposite, 'ir al grano' (to get to the point), is about being direct.

🌎 Where It's Used

🇪🇸

Spain

Extremely common and used in all types of informal and semi-formal conversations.

🌎

Latin America

Widely used and understood in most countries. While some regions might have a local equivalent, this expression will be recognized almost everywhere.

🔗 Related Idioms

↔️Similar Meanings

andarse con rodeos

Literally 'to walk with detours,' it means to beat around the bush.

marear la perdiz

Literally 'to make the partridge dizzy,' it means to waste time with distractions instead of getting to the point.

⇆Opposite Meanings

ir al grano

Literally 'to go to the grain,' it means to get straight to the point.

ir al meollo del asunto

To get to the core/heart of the matter.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: Irse por las ramas

Question 1 of 1

If your friend says, '¡No te vayas por las ramas!', what are they asking you to do?

🏷️ Tags

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 'irse por las ramas' in a formal or professional setting?

Yes, but with care. It's generally a neutral-to-informal phrase. In a business meeting, saying something like, 'Para no irnos por las ramas, centrémonos en el presupuesto' (So we don't get sidetracked, let's focus on the budget) is perfectly fine. It's clear and direct without being rude.