Mover los hilos
/moh-BER lohs EE-lohs/
To pull the strings; to control a situation or people from behind the scenes, often secretly.
💡 Understanding the Idiom
🎨 Literal vs. Figurative
Literally, this means 'to move the strings'.
In reality, it means to control people or events from behind the scenes.
Key Words in This Idiom:
📝 In Action
Aunque el presidente es la cara pública, todos saben que es su asesor quien realmente mueve los hilos.
B2Although the president is the public face, everyone knows it's his advisor who really pulls the strings.
Se sospecha que un grupo de inversores está moviendo los hilos para cambiar la dirección de la empresa.
C1It's suspected that a group of investors is pulling the strings to change the company's management.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom comes directly from the world of puppetry and marionette theater. A puppeteer, hidden from the audience's view, literally 'moves the strings' ('mueve los hilos') to control the puppets on stage, making them act out the story. The phrase was adopted to describe any situation where someone exerts hidden influence or control over people or events, just like a puppet master.
⭐ Usage Tips
Behind-the-Scenes Control
Use 'mover los hilos' to talk about someone who has the real power in a situation but isn't the official leader. It often implies a bit of secrecy, strategy, or manipulation.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Not for Direct Orders
Mistake: "Using 'mover los hilos' when someone is giving direct, open commands."
Correction: This idiom is for *indirect* or *secret* control. If a boss is openly telling employees what to do, they are 'dando órdenes' (giving orders), not 'moviendo los hilos'.
🌎 Where It's Used
Spain
Extremely common in all contexts, from politics to office gossip.
Latin America
Widely understood and used across most of Latin America with the same meaning.
🔗 Related Idioms
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: Mover los hilos
Question 1 of 1
If someone 'mueve los hilos' in a company, what is their role?
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'mover los hilos' always have a negative meaning?
Not always, but it often does. Because it implies secrecy and manipulation, it can carry a negative connotation of someone being controlling or dishonest. However, it can also be used more neutrally to simply describe who has the real influence.