Pagar los platos rotos

/pah-GAR los PLAH-tohs ROH-tohs/

To be unfairly blamed or punished for someone else's mistake; to be the scapegoat.

Level:B2Register:NeutralCommon:★★★★☆

💡 Understanding the Idiom

Literal Translation:

"To pay for the broken plates"

What It Really Means:

To be unfairly blamed or punished for someone else's mistake; to be the scapegoat.

English Equivalents:

To be the scapegoatTo carry the canTo take the fallTo be left holding the bag

🎨 Literal vs. Figurative

💭 Literal

Literally, this means 'to pay for the broken plates'.

✨ Figurative

In reality, it means to take the blame for something you didn't do.

Key Words in This Idiom:

📝 In Action

El director hizo la mala inversión, pero cuando la empresa perdió dinero, el gerente de finanzas pagó los platos rotos y fue despedido.

The director made the bad investment, but when the company lost money, the finance manager took the fall and was fired.

¡No es justo! Mis hermanos hicieron el desorden y ahora yo tengo que pagar los platos rotos y limpiar todo.

It's not fair! My brothers made the mess, and now I have to carry the can and clean everything up.

El político corrupto escapó del país, dejando que su asistente pagara los platos rotos.

The corrupt politician fled the country, leaving his assistant to be the scapegoat.

📜 Origin Story

This expression comes from the rowdy atmosphere of old inns and taverns. When a fight or heated argument broke out, it was common for dishes and glasses to be shattered. The innkeeper, often unable to identify the real culprit in the chaos, would simply charge the damages to the quietest or most unsuspecting person at the table, who would have to 'pay for the broken plates' without having caused the mess.

⭐ Usage Tips

For Unfair Blame

Use this idiom when someone suffers the negative consequences of another person's actions. It perfectly captures the injustice of being a scapegoat.

It's Not Just About Money

Even though 'pagar' means 'to pay', the 'payment' is usually a punishment, a damaged reputation, or another negative outcome, not necessarily a financial cost.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing it with Admitting Guilt

Mistake: "Thinking that if someone 'paga los platos rotos', they are admitting they did it."

Correction: The idiom strongly implies the person is innocent. It highlights the injustice. If someone is actually guilty, you would just say they 'sufrió las consecuencias' (suffered the consequences).

🌎 Where It's Used

🇪🇸

Spain

Extremely common and universally understood.

🌎

Latin America

Very common and widely used in virtually all Spanish-speaking countries, from Mexico to Argentina.

🔗 Related Idioms

↔️ Similar Meanings

ser cabeza de turco

Literally 'to be a Turk's head', it means to be a scapegoat.

cargar con el muerto→

Literally 'to carry the dead body', it means to be stuck with the blame or an unpleasant task.

⇆ Opposite Meanings

irse de rositas

To get off scot-free, to get away with something without consequences.

salirse con la suya

To get one's own way, to get away with it.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: Pagar los platos rotos

Question 1 of 1

If a friend says, 'Mi jefe me hizo pagar los platos rotos', what happened?

🏷️ Tags

ProblemsBetrayalCommonly Used

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'pagar los platos rotos' a formal or informal expression?

It's considered neutral. You can use it in informal conversations with friends, but it's also perfectly acceptable in more formal contexts like a business meeting or even in the news to describe a political situation.

Can I use this idiom for myself, like 'Yo pagué los platos rotos'?

Yes, absolutely! It's very common to use it to describe a situation where you were the one who was unfairly blamed. It's a great way to express frustration about an unjust situation.