Pasarse tres pueblos

/pah-SAR-seh tress PWEB-lohs/

To go way too far, to cross the line, to exaggerate, or to go over the top.

Level:B2Register:InformalCommon:★★★★☆

💡 Understanding the Idiom

Literal Translation:

"To pass three towns/villages."

What It Really Means:

To go way too far, to cross the line, to exaggerate, or to go over the top.

English Equivalents:

To go over the topTo cross the lineTo go too farTo lay it on thick

🎨 Literal vs. Figurative

💭 Literal

Literally, this means 'to pass three towns'.

✨ Figurative

The actual meaning of 'pasarse tres pueblos', showing one person reacting with shock to another's outrageous statement.

In reality, it means someone has gone way too far with their words or actions.

Key Words in This Idiom:

pasarse

tres

three

→

pueblos

📝 In Action

Está bien hacer una broma, pero insultar a su familia es pasarse tres pueblos.

It's okay to make a joke, but insulting his family is crossing the line.

Le pedí un poco de ayuda y me pintó la casa entera. ¡Se pasó tres pueblos!

I asked him for a little help and he painted the whole house. He went way over the top!

El vendedor me dijo que el coche podía volar. Obviamente, se estaba pasando tres pueblos.

The salesman told me the car could fly. Obviously, he was exaggerating wildly.

📜 Origin Story

This idiom comes from a very visual and logical idea. Imagine you're traveling and your destination is a specific town. If you miss your stop and go past it, that's a mistake. If you go past a second town, it's a bigger mistake. But if you go past three towns, you've completely overshot your goal in a major way. This physical image of 'going too far' was then applied to describe actions, words, or behaviors that go far beyond what is considered reasonable, normal, or acceptable.

⭐ Usage Tips

For Good and Bad Exaggerations

Use this when someone has done something in excess. It's often used to criticize someone for being too harsh or rude, but it can also be used in a positive, surprised way, like if someone gives you an incredibly generous gift or throws an amazing party.

It's All About 'Too Much'

The core feeling of this idiom is 'too much'. Whether it's a joke that's too cruel, a story that's too unbelievable, or a favor that's too generous, the person has gone beyond a normal limit.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Not Just for Travel

Mistake: "Thinking the idiom is about getting lost or traveling too far."

Correction: While the origin is about travel, it's used almost exclusively in a figurative way to talk about behavior. You wouldn't use it to tell a bus driver they missed your stop. Instead, you'd use it to tell a friend their prank went too far.

🌎 Where It's Used

🇪🇸

Spain

Extremely common and a classic part of informal, everyday speech. Everyone will understand it.

🌎

Latin America

Not commonly used or understood in most of Latin America. Other expressions like 'pasarse de la raya' (to cross the line) or 'se le fue la mano' (he/she got carried away) are much more common.

🔗 Related Idioms

↔️Similar Meanings

írsele la mano

To get carried away, to go too far (literally 'for the hand to go from one').

pasarse de la raya

To cross the line.

sacar los pies del tiesto

To speak or act out of line (literally 'to take one's feet out of the flowerpot').

⇆Opposite Meanings

quedarse corto

To not go far enough, to fall short.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: Pasarse tres pueblos

Question 1 of 1

Your friend throws you a simple birthday dinner, but then reveals they also bought you a new car. What's a natural reaction in Spanish?

🏷️ Tags

NumbersSocial InteractionsCommonly UsedSpain

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'pasarse tres pueblos' an insult?

It can be, depending on the tone and context. If you say 'Con ese comentario, te pasaste tres pueblos,' you are definitely criticizing the person for being inappropriate. However, if said with a laugh about a huge surprise party, it's a way of expressing amazement at how much someone did.