bajo el mismo techo
Lemma Details
Translation: under the same roof; living together
Part of Speech: phrase
Etymology: This Spanish phrase combines 'bajo' (under), 'el mismo' (the same), and 'techo' (roof). 'Techo' derives from Latin 'tectum' (roof, covering), which shares roots with English words like 'protect' and 'detect' (literally 'to cover' and 'to uncover'). The expression is used metaphorically to indicate people sharing a living space, similar to the English expression 'under the same roof'.
Commonality: 70%
Guessability: 80%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Después de casarnos, vivimos bajo el mismo techo con mis suegros por un año.
After getting married, we lived under the same roof with my in-laws for a year.
Es difícil vivir bajo el mismo techo cuando tenemos horarios tan diferentes.
It's difficult to live under the same roof when we have such different schedules.
Tres generaciones de nuestra familia viven bajo el mismo techo.
Three generations of our family live under the same roof.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'techo' as 'tech-roof' - the technology that covers your house.
- Imagine a family all standing under a literal roof to remember this phrase means living together.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
This phrase is commonly used when discussing family living arrangements, roommate situations, or multigenerational households. In many Spanish-speaking countries, it's common for extended families to live 'bajo el mismo techo' for economic and cultural reasons, with multiple generations sharing a home.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'bajo el mismo techo' refers specifically to people living together in the same dwelling, 'bajo el mismo cielo' (under the same sky) is a more poetic expression referring to a shared existence in a broader sense, not necessarily implying cohabitation.
Confused word:
Aunque estemos lejos, seguimos viviendo bajo el mismo cielo.
Although we are far apart, we still live under the same sky.
Notes: The 'techo' version implies physical proximity and shared living space, while the 'cielo' version suggests a philosophical connection despite physical distance.
Mnemonic: 'Techo' (roof) is close and intimate, while 'cielo' (sky) is vast and distant.