How do you say “A spanner in the works” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is meter un palo en la rueda, which literally means “to put a stick in the wheel”. English speakers use a spanner in the works to mean a problem that disrupts a plan or stops progress. An idiomatic way to describe an obstacle to progress. With a person as the subject, it can sound deliberate. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
meter un palo en la rueda
/meˈteɾ um ˈpalo en la ˈrweða/
- Literal meaning
- “to put a stick in the wheel”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
89 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
Spanish puts a stick into a turning wheel. The result is the same interruption as the English tool in the machinery.
When the obstacle is an accident, name it directly. This avoids making an unfortunate delay sound like someone’s attempt to sabotage you.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context4 out of 5
- Literal similarity3 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
The missing permit threw a spanner in the works just before opening day.
Spanish
La falta del permiso nos metió un palo en la rueda justo antes de la inauguración.
English
He threw a spanner in the works by refusing to sign.
Spanish
Nos metió un palo en la rueda al negarse a firmar.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-10-01