buscarle tres pies al gato
Lemma Details
Translation: to look for trouble; to complicate things unnecessarily; to make things more difficult than they need to be
Part of Speech: idiom
Etymology: This Spanish idiom literally translates to 'to look for three feet on a cat.' The expression plays on the fact that cats have four legs, not three, so looking for three feet on a cat is both unnecessary and pointless. The idiom suggests that someone is creating problems where none exist or making a simple situation unnecessarily complicated. It dates back to medieval Spanish and appears in various forms throughout Spanish literature.
Commonality: 60%
Guessability: 10%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
No le busques tres pies al gato, la solución es muy sencilla.
Don't make things more complicated than they are, the solution is very simple.
Siempre le estás buscando tres pies al gato en vez de aceptar las cosas como son.
You're always looking for trouble instead of accepting things as they are.
Mi jefe le busca tres pies al gato con cada proyecto nuevo.
My boss unnecessarily complicates every new project.
Mnemonics
- Imagine a person examining a cat's legs and insisting it should have three instead of four - a clearly unnecessary complication!
- Think: 'Cats have four feet, not three - so looking for three is creating a problem that doesn't exist.'
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
This idiom is widely used across Spanish-speaking countries in everyday conversation. It's often used as a warning or criticism when someone is overthinking a situation or deliberately making things more complicated than necessary. Parents might say this to children who are being difficult, or friends might use it to advise each other against creating unnecessary problems.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While both are idioms involving cats, 'buscarle tres pies al gato' means to unnecessarily complicate things, whereas 'dar gato por liebre' means to deceive someone or give something inferior while claiming it's superior (literally 'to give cat instead of hare').
Confused word:
Ese vendedor siempre intenta dar gato por liebre a sus clientes.
That salesman always tries to deceive his customers.
Notes: Both idioms are common in everyday Spanish conversation but have completely different meanings and uses.
Mnemonic: Three feet = creating problems; Cat for hare = creating deception