Phrase · 📜 Proverbs in conversation
Canta igual que su madre: de tal palo, tal astilla.
She sings just like her mother: like mother, like daughter.
C2commenting on family likenessinformallearned as a wholeAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Cantaverbshe singscantar · present · 3rd sing.igual3adverbjustque3conjunctionassudeterminerher3rd sing.madrenounmotherfem. · sing.:de2prepositionfromtal1determinersuch apalo1nounstickmasc. · sing.,tal1determinersuch aastilla1nounsplinterfem. · sing..
- de → astilla: frozen proverb
- tal → tal: tal … tal: such … such
- igual → madre: igual que + term of comparison
Word for word: “She sings the same as her mother: from such a stick, such a splinter.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1De tal palo, tal astilla = like father, like son (lit. from such a stick, such a splinter).
- 2Natural and affectionate, usually a compliment. Latin America also says hijo de tigre sale pintado.
- 3igual que = just like (also igual a): canta igual que su madre.
Variations
- Canta igualito que su mamá: de tal palo, tal astilla.
- Canta como su madre: hijo de tigre sale pintado.
- Canta igual que su madre; lo lleva en la sangre.