manos de mantequilla
/manos de mantekiʝa/from spelling rules
manos de mantequilla is the Spanish phrase for "butter fingers".
This phrase is used to describe a person who frequently drops things.
How do you pronounce it?
/manos de mantekiʝa/
Did you know?
- The word mantequilla is actually a diminutive. It comes from manteca 'fat' or 'lard' combined with the suffix -illa to describe the 'little fat' of churned butter.
- Instead of focusing on the hands, Spanish speakers often use the phrase se le caen las cosas, which translates to 'things fall from them'.
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, using the word manteca alone would not mean butter, but would specifically refer to lard or pork fat.
Examples in context
- No le pidas ayuda a Juan para mover esa mesa. Es un desastre con las manos.Don't ask Juan to help move that table. He is a disaster with his hands.
Example conversation
Javier drops a plate in the kitchen.
- Javier¡Lo siento! Se me cayó el plato.I'm sorry! I dropped the plate.
- SofíaJavier, tienes manos de mantequilla.Javier, you have butter fingers.
- JavierEs verdad, siempre pasa lo mismo.It's true, the same thing always happens.
- SofíaTen más cuidado la próxima vez.Be more careful next time.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, mantequilla, CC BY-SA 4.0.
