Inklingo

No dar el brazo a torcer

/noh dar el BRAH-soh ah tor-SEHR/

To not give in, back down, or change one's opinion; to be stubborn or stand one's ground.

Level:B2Register:NeutralCommon:★★★★☆

💡 Understanding the Idiom

Literal Translation:
"To not give the arm to twist."
What It Really Means:
To not give in, back down, or change one's opinion; to be stubborn or stand one's ground.
English Equivalents:
To not give an inchTo stick to one's gunsTo stand one's groundTo not budge

🎨 Literal vs. Figurative

💭 Literal
A literal depiction of 'no dar el brazo a torcer', showing one person trying to twist another's arm, which remains perfectly straight and rigid.

Literally, this means 'to not give one's arm to be twisted'.

✨ Figurative
The figurative meaning of 'no dar el brazo a torcer', showing a person in a debate with their arms crossed, resolutely shaking their head 'no'.

In practice, it means refusing to change your mind or give in to pressure.

Key Words in This Idiom:

dar
dar
to give
→
brazo
brazo
arm
→
torcer

📝 In Action

Intenté convencerlo durante horas, pero no dio su brazo a torcer.

B2

I tried to convince him for hours, but he wouldn't give an inch.

Aunque todos estaban en su contra, la directora no dio su brazo a torcer y mantuvo la decisión.

C1

Even though everyone was against her, the director stuck to her guns and maintained the decision.

📜 Origin Story

This expression paints a very clear picture. It likely comes from physical contests like arm wrestling ('pulso' in Spanish) or general wrestling. In these fights, forcing your opponent to bend or 'twist' their arm is a sign of victory and their submission. Therefore, 'not giving your arm to be twisted' became a powerful metaphor for refusing to surrender or be defeated in any kind of conflict, argument, or negotiation.

⭐ Usage Tips

Show Stubbornness or Determination

Use this when you want to describe someone who is refusing to change their opinion, decision, or course of action, despite pressure from others. It can be seen as a negative trait (stubbornness) or a positive one (determination).

Use it with 'su' or 'tu'

While the base phrase is 'dar el brazo', it's very common to make it possessive. You'll often hear 'no dio SU brazo a torcer' (he/she didn't give in) or '¡no des TU brazo a torcer!' (don't you give in!).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the Positive Form Incorrectly

Mistake: "Saying 'dio su brazo a torcer' to mean someone was convinced by a good argument."

Correction: The positive form, 'dar el brazo a torcer', means 'to give in' or 'to yield,' often implying it was due to pressure, not necessarily because they were logically persuaded. It suggests reluctance. For a more neutral way to say someone changed their mind, you could use 'cambió de opinión'.

🌎 Where It's Used

🇪🇸

Spain

Extremely common and used in all contexts, from casual conversation to politics.

🌎

Latin America

Widely used and understood throughout the Spanish-speaking world.

🔗 Related Idioms

↔️ Similar Meanings

mantenerse en sus trece

To stick to one's opinion, to be stubborn.

ser cabeza dura

To be hard-headed or stubborn.

⇆ Opposite Meanings

dar el brazo a torcer

To give in, to yield, to back down.

ceder terreno

To give ground, to concede a point.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: No dar el brazo a torcer

Question 1 of 1

If your friend says, 'Mi papá no da su brazo a torcer con la política,' what does he mean?

🏷️ Tags

Body PartsPersistenceCommonly Used

Frequently Asked Questions

Is saying someone 'no da su brazo a torcer' a compliment or an insult?

It depends entirely on the context! It can be a compliment, meaning someone is determined and principled ('She stuck to her guns'). It can also be a criticism, meaning someone is unreasonably stubborn ('He's just being pig-headed'). Your tone of voice and the situation will make the meaning clear.