Planchar la oreja

/plan-CHAR la oh-REH-hah/

To go to sleep; to hit the sack.

Level:B2Register:InformalCommon:★★★★☆

💡 Understanding the Idiom

Literal Translation:

"To iron the ear"

What It Really Means:

To go to sleep; to hit the sack.

English Equivalents:

To hit the sackTo hit the hayTo catch some Z's

🎨 Literal vs. Figurative

💭 Literal

Literally, this means 'to iron the ear'.

✨ Figurative

The actual meaning of 'planchar la oreja', showing a person sleeping peacefully with their head on a pillow.

In reality, it just means to go to sleep, because your ear gets flattened on the pillow.

Key Words in This Idiom:

plancharoreja

📝 In Action

Estoy agotado, me voy a planchar la oreja un rato.

I'm exhausted, I'm going to hit the sack for a while.

Después de la fiesta, lo único que quería era llegar a casa y planchar la oreja.

After the party, the only thing I wanted was to get home and go to sleep.

📜 Origin Story

This idiom comes from a very simple, visual idea. When you lie down on your side to sleep, your ear gets pressed flat against the pillow, looking as if it has been ironed smooth. It’s a funny and graphic way to describe the act of putting your head down to rest.

⭐ Usage Tips

A Funny Way to Say Goodnight

Use 'planchar la oreja' when you want to informally announce you're going to bed. It’s perfect for friends and family and adds a bit of humor. Think of it as a more colorful version of 'irse a dormir' (to go to sleep).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Not for Formal Situations

Mistake: "Using 'planchar la oreja' with your boss, a professor, or in a formal email."

Correction: This is a very casual, almost slang, expression. In formal or professional settings, it's safer to use standard phrases like 'acostarse' or 'irse a dormir'.

🌎 Where It's Used

🇪🇸

Spain

Extremely common and widely understood. It's a classic informal expression.

🌎

Latin America

Much less common and may not be understood in all countries. Many regions have their own local slang for going to sleep.

🔗 Related Idioms

↔️Similar Meanings

irse al sobre

Literally 'to go to the envelope,' a slang term for a sleeping bag or bed.

caer redondo

Literally 'to fall round,' meaning to fall fast asleep, often from exhaustion.

⇆Opposite Meanings

pasar la noche en blanco→

Literally 'to spend the night in white,' meaning to not sleep a wink.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: Planchar la oreja

Question 1 of 1

If your Spanish friend says 'Bueno, me voy a planchar la oreja', what are they about to do?

🏷️ Tags

Body PartsCommonly UsedHouse & Home

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 'planchar la oreja' for a short nap?

Yes, you can! While it usually means going to bed for the night, you could say 'Voy a planchar la oreja un ratito' to mean 'I'm going to take a quick nap.' The context makes it clear.