How to Say "roundabout way" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “roundabout way” is “rodeo” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Había obras en la calle y tuvimos que dar un rodeo.
There was construction on the street and we had to take a detour.
Dímelo ya y no me vengas con rodeos.
Tell me already and don't beat around the bush with me.
El taxista tomó un rodeo innecesario para cobrar más.
The taxi driver took an unnecessary detour to charge more.
Using 'Dar' with Rodeo
To say 'to take a detour,' Spanish speakers almost always use the action word 'dar' (to give), resulting in 'dar un rodeo.'
Plural vs. Singular
When talking about physical paths, we usually use the singular 'un rodeo.' When talking about someone being indirect in speech, we often use the plural 'rodeos.'
Avoid 'Hacer'
Mistake: “Hacer un rodeo.”
Correction: Dar un rodeo. Just like we 'give' a walk (dar un paseo), we 'give' a detour in Spanish.
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