Phrase · 🧩 Idioms in everyday speech
No le busques tres pies al gato: el plan es muy sencillo.
Don't overcomplicate it: the plan is very simple.
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Why every word is where it is
No2adverbdon'tle3object pronoun(on it)él · 3rd sing. · indirect objectbusques1verblook forbuscar · subjunctive · present · 2nd sing.tres1determinerthreepies1nounfeetpie · masc. · pl.al1prepositionon thea+elgato1nouncatmasc. · sing.:eldeterminerthemasc. · sing. · definiteplannounplanmasc. · sing.esverbisser · present · 3rd sing.muyadverbverysencilloadjectivesimplemasc. · sing..
- busques → gato: buscarle tres pies al gato: overcomplicate
- le → gato: le doubles al gato
- No → busques: no + subjunctive: negative imperative
- sencillo → plan: sencillo agrees with plan
Word for word: “Don't look for three feet on the cat: the plan is very simple.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1buscarle tres pies al gato = to overcomplicate things, look for problems that aren't there. Argentina: buscarle la quinta pata al gato.
- 2Negative imperative = present subjunctive, with c → qu: no busques. Negative imperative and imperative with pronouns →
- 3le doubles al gato: Spanish repeats the indirect object with a pronoun. Indirect object pronouns and doubling →
Variations
- No le busques la quinta pata al gato: el plan es muy sencillo.
- No lo compliques: el plan es muy sencillo.
- No le des más vueltas: el plan es muy sencillo.