Quedarse sin el pan y sin las tortas

/keh-DAR-seh seen el PAN ee seen las TOR-tas/

To try to get two things at once, often out of greed or indecision, and end up with neither. To lose out on everything.

Level:B2Register:InformalCommon:★★★☆☆

💡 Understanding the Idiom

Literal Translation:

"To be left without the bread and without the cakes."

What It Really Means:

To try to get two things at once, often out of greed or indecision, and end up with neither. To lose out on everything.

English Equivalents:

To fall between two stoolsTo end up with nothingTo lose on all counts

🎨 Literal vs. Figurative

💭 Literal

A sad person standing between two empty plates, one that held bread and one that held cakes.

Literally, this means 'to be left without the bread and without the cakes'.

✨ Figurative

A person looking regretful after trying to get two jobs and ending up with neither.

It describes losing everything because you couldn't choose or wanted too much.

Key Words in This Idiom:

📝 In Action

Intentó negociar con las dos empresas para subir la oferta y, al final, se quedó sin el pan y sin las tortas.

He tried to negotiate with both companies to get a better offer and, in the end, he was left with nothing.

Por no decidirse entre ir de viaje o comprar el coche, esperó tanto que el precio de ambos subió y ya no pudo pagar ninguno. Se quedó sin el pan y sin las tortas.

By not deciding between going on a trip or buying the car, he waited so long that the price of both went up and he couldn't afford either. He fell between two stools.

📜 Origin Story

This expression comes from old folk wisdom. Imagine a classic fable: a character has a simple piece of bread ('el pan'), a basic necessity. They see a chance to also get some delicious cakes ('las tortas'), a luxury. In trying to grab the cakes, they drop the bread, and the cakes are snatched away by someone else. The story teaches a lesson about greed and the danger of risking what you have for a chance at something more, only to lose everything.

⭐ Usage Tips

Use it for cautionary tales

This idiom is perfect for describing a situation where someone's greed or indecisiveness leads to a total loss. It often carries a slight 'I told you so' feeling, warning against trying to have it all.

❌ Common Pitfalls

It's Not Just About Food

Mistake: "Thinking the phrase is only used when talking about food or meals."

Correction: This is a purely figurative expression. Use it for situations involving jobs, relationships, negotiations, or any choice where trying to get everything results in getting nothing.

🌎 Where It's Used

🇪🇸

Spain

Very common and widely understood across the country.

🌎

Latin America

Well-known and used, particularly in countries like Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. While the word 'torta' can mean different things (a cake in some places, a sandwich in Mexico), the meaning of the idiom remains the same.

🔗 Related Idioms

↔️ Similar Meanings

Salir con una mano delante y otra detrás

To leave with nothing (literally, 'with one hand in front and the other behind').

Quedarse en la estacada

To be left in the lurch; to be abandoned or fail at the last moment.

⇆ Opposite Meanings

Matar dos pájaros de un tiro

To kill two birds with one stone; to achieve two goals with a single action.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: Quedarse sin el pan y sin las tortas

Question 1 of 1

If your friend 'se quedó sin el pan y sin las tortas' after a job search, what most likely happened?

🏷️ Tags

Food & DrinkFailureCommonly Used

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the emotional tone of this idiom? Is it mean to say?

It's not inherently mean, but it is critical. It's usually said with a tone of regret, sympathy, or as a cautionary warning. You might say it about a friend who made a bad decision, or about yourself to express regret for being too greedy.