Spanish is full of idiomatic phrases we use every day without even noticing. Many of them include common words—like the word “pelo” (“hair”)—and have meanings that go far beyond their literal sense.
If you’re learning Spanish from Spain, knowing these expressions with “pelo” will help you sound more natural and better understand native speakers.
In this guide, you’ll discover the most common Spanish idioms the word with “pelo”, their meanings, and how to use them—along with clear examples.
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The most popular expressions with “pelo” in Spanish
There are certain idioms with the word “pelo” that are very frequent in colloquial Spanish and used in many different situations. Some express cleverness or wit, others talk about fear or courage, and many have a humorous or ironic tone. Let’s take a look at the most common ones.
No tener un pelo de tonto
Literally, “not to have a single hair of foolishness”. This expression is used to describe someone intelligent and sharp who doesn’t get fooled easily.
It’s very common in informal conversations to emphasize that a person is smart and not easily manipulated.
Examples:
- No intentes venderle ese coche viejo a Luis, no tiene un pelo de tonto y se dará cuenta del truco. (Don’t try to sell that old car to Luis—he’s no fool, and he’ll notice the trick.)
- María no tiene un pelo de tonta, siempre consigue lo que quiere en el trabajo. (María isn’t the least bit naive; she always gets what she wants at work.)
- Creí que podría hacer que creyera la historia, pero enseguida me descubrió. Se nota que no tiene un pelo de tonto. (I thought I could make him believe the story, but he caught me right away. You can tell he’s no fool.)
- No sé cómo Pedro negocia tan bien, pero está claro que no tiene un pelo de tonto. (I don’t know how Pedro negotiates so well, but it’s clear he’s no fool.)
Tomar el pelo
Literally, “to take someone’s hair”, but it actually means to deceive or make fun of someone in a playful or ironic way. Therefore, like “to tease” or “to pull someone’s leg” in English.
It’s used when someone says something exaggerated or unbelievable as a joke.
Examples:
- Me dijiste que habías visto un OVNI, pero sé que solo me estabas tomando el pelo. (You told me you saw a UFO, but I know you were just pulling my leg.)
- ¡Deja de tomarme el pelo y dime la verdad! (Stop teasing me and tell me the truth!)
- A veces mi hermano me toma el pelo diciendo que va a cocinar, pero nunca lo hace. (Sometimes my brother teases me saying he’s going to cook, but he never does.)
- Pensé que el examen era fácil, pero el profesor nos tomó el pelo con preguntas trampa. (I thought the exam would be easy, but the teacher tricked us with tricky questions.)
Ponerse los pelos de punta
It literally means “to have your hairs stand on end” but this is an expression used to describe a feeling of fear, shock, or very strong emotion. It can refer to both scary and deeply moving situations.
Examples:
- La película de terror que vimos anoche me puso los pelos de punta. (The horror movie we watched last night made my hair stand on end.)
- Cada vez que escucho esa canción se me ponen los pelos de punta. (Every time I hear that song, it gives me goosebumps.)
- Nos contó una historia de fantasmas y se nos pusieron los pelos de punta. (He told us a ghost story, and it made our hair stand on end.)
- Cuando vimos el accidente en la carretera, se nos pusieron los pelos de punta. (When we saw the accident on the road, it gave us chills.)
No cortarse un pelo
It’s used when someone acts without shame or fear of what others might think. It usually describes confident people who say or do what they think is right without hesitation.
Examples:
- En la reunión, Laura no se cortó un pelo y le dijo al jefe que su idea no funcionaría. (At the meeting, Laura didn’t hold back and told the boss his idea wouldn’t work.)
- Mi primo no se corta un pelo y siempre dice lo que piensa, aunque moleste. (My cousin doesn’t hold back and always says what he thinks, even if it bothers people.)
- Sabía que el examen era difícil, pero no me corté ni un pelo y respondí con confianza. (I knew the exam was hard, but I didn’t hesitate and answered confidently.)
- En la entrevista, Marta no se cortó un pelo y negoció un mejor salario. (In the interview, Marta didn’t hold back and negotiated a better salary.)
No tener pelos en la lengua
Relax! Even though it literally translates as “not to have hairs on one’s tongue”, we’re not talking about extremely hairy people.
This expression describes someone who speaks honestly and without fear of the consequences. It’s used for people who are straightforward and unfiltered.
Examples:
- Mi abuela no tiene pelos en la lengua y siempre dice lo que piensa. (My grandmother doesn’t mince words and always says what she thinks.)
- Le dije a mi jefe que su idea era mala porque no tengo pelos en la lengua. (I told my boss his idea was bad because I’m not afraid to speak my mind.)
- A Ana no le gusta la hipocresía, por eso no tiene pelos en la lengua. (Ana doesn’t like hypocrisy, that’s why she always speaks her mind.)
- Cuando algo le molesta, Pedro lo dice sin rodeos, no tiene pelos en la lengua. (When something bothers him, Pedro says it straight out—he doesn’t sugarcoat things.)
Pelillos a la mar
Literally, “little hairs to the sea” — meaning “let’s forget it” or “no hard feelings”.
It’s used to forget a conflict or argument and make peace with someone. It’s a way of inviting someone to move on and leave problems behind.
Examples:
- Discutimos ayer, pero mejor dejamos los pelillos a la mar y seguimos como amigos. (We argued yesterday, but let’s forget it and stay friends.)
- No quiero que estemos enfadados, así que pelillos a la mar. (I don’t want us to be angry, so let’s let bygones be bygones.)
- Se pelearon, pero al día siguiente ya estaban de pelillos a la mar. (They fought, but the next day they had already made up.)
- Si te molestó lo que dije, lo siento. Pelillos a la mar y seguimos adelante. (If what I said bothered you, I’m sorry. Let’s forget it and move on.)
Por los pelos
Literally“by the hairs”, but in Spanish it means achieving something by a very small margin or avoiding a bad situation at the last moment. It’s a very common expression in contexts like exams, competitions, or risky situations.
Examples:
- Aprobaron el examen por los pelos. (They barely passed the exam.)
- Casi pierdo el tren, pero llegué por los pelos. (I almost missed the train, but I made it just in time.)
- El equipo ganó por los pelos, con un gol en el último minuto. (The team won by the skin of their teeth, with a last-minute goal.)
- No estudié mucho, pero aprobé por los pelos. (I didn’t study much, but I barely passed.)
In what contexts can these expressions be used?
These idioms with “pelo” make your Spanish sound more natural and expressive, but it’s important to understand their meanings well so you don’t use them incorrectly.
In general, we use them mostly in informal contexts—for example, in everyday conversations with friends, family, or coworkers.
Some expressions, like “no tener un pelo de tonto,” can also be used in more serious or professional situations. Others, like “pelillos a la mar”, are perfect for resolving conflicts in a friendly way.
And phrases like “ponerse los pelos de punta” (“to get goosebumps”) can describe strong emotions in any setting.
That’s it! As we mentioned, all these expressions with the word “pelo” are an essential part of everyday Spanish, and knowing them will help you communicate more naturally and understand native speakers better.
We hope this guide was useful. Now that you know their meaning and use—will you dare to include them in your daily vocabulary? Which of these idioms with the word “pelo” did you already know? Did any of them surprise you?
Let us know in the comments!
