en casa de herrero, cuchillo de palo

Spanish

Alternative forms

• en casa del herrero, cuchillo de palo

Etymology

Literally, “in the blacksmith's house, wooden knife”. Compare Portuguese em casa de ferreiro, o espeto é de pau.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /en ˌkasa de eˌreɾo | kuˌt͡ʃiʝo de ˈpalo/ [ẽŋ ˌka.sa ð̞e eˌre.ɾo | kuˌt͡ʃi.ʝo ð̞e ˈpa.lo]

• IPA^(key): /en ˌkasa de eˌreɾo | kuˌt͡ʃiʝo de ˈpalo/ [ẽŋ ˌka.sa ð̞e eˌre.ɾo | kuˌt͡ʃi.ʝo ð̞e ˈpa.lo] (Equatorial Guinea, most of Latin America and Spain)
• IPA^(key): /en ˌkasa de eˌreɾo | kuˌt͡ʃiʎo de ˈpalo/ [ẽŋ ˌka.sa ð̞e eˌre.ɾo | kuˌt͡ʃi.ʎo ð̞e ˈpa.lo] (rustic northern Spain, northern and central Andes Mountains (except central Ecuador), Bolivia, Paraguay, northeastern Argentina, Philippines)
• IPA^(key): /en ˌkasa de eˌreɾo | kuˌt͡ʃiʃo de ˈpalo/ [ẽŋ ˌka.sa ð̞e eˌre.ɾo | kuˌt͡ʃi.ʃo ð̞e ˈpa.lo] (Buenos Aires and environs)
• IPA^(key): /en ˌkasa de eˌreɾo | kuˌt͡ʃiʒo de ˈpalo/ [ẽŋ ˌka.sa ð̞e eˌre.ɾo | kuˌt͡ʃi.ʒo ð̞e ˈpa.lo] (central Ecuador, Santiago del Estero and environs, elsewhere in Pampas and southern Argentina, Uruguay)
• IPA^(key): /en ˌkasa de eˌreɾo | kuˌt͡ʃio de ˈpalo/ [ẽŋ ˌka.sa ð̞e eˌre.ɾo | kuˌt͡ʃi.o ð̞e ˈpa.lo] (northern Mexico, Yucatán, Central America (except Panama))

• Audio (El Salvador):

  (file)

• Syllabification: en ca‧sa de he‧rre‧ro, cu‧chi‧llo de pa‧lo

Proverb

en casa de herrero, cuchillo de palo

1. the shoemaker's children go barefoot (indicates that certain things or attitudes are missing precisely where they would be appropriate or expected)