🌳 De tal palo, tal astilla: Like parent, like child
Who do you take after?
If you’ve ever been told you look or act just like one of your parents, you’ve probably earned this classic Spanish phrase:
De tal palo, tal astilla. (Literally: “From such a stick, such a splinter.”)
It’s one of those idioms that perfectly captures how Spanish turns something simple, a piece of wood, into a metaphor for family resemblance, personality and even destiny.
❓ What does de tal palo, tal astilla really mean?
It means that children resemble their parents, not only physically but also in behavior, habits, or even attitudes.
In other words, “like father, like son” or “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
- Tiene los mismos ojos que su padre. De tal palo, tal astilla. (He has his father’s eyes. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.)
- Su mamá es muy generosa, y ella también. De tal palo, tal astilla.
(Her mom is very generous, and so is she, a chip off the old block.)
It can be used lovingly, humorously or with a little irony, depending on the tone.
🧠 Why wood and splinters?
The image comes from carpentry: a splinter (astilla) is a small piece that breaks off the same stick (palo). Same material, same essence.
That’s exactly the idea: what comes from something carries its nature.
So, a son inherits his father’s stubbornness, or a daughter her mother’s laughter, both astillas del mismo palo.
💬 How it’s used in daily life
You’ll hear de tal palo, tal astilla everywhere, from family gatherings to telenovelas.
- Tu hijo también cocina tan bien como tú. ¡De tal palo, tal astilla!
- Ella tiene el mismo cabello rizado que su madre. De tal palo, tal astilla…
- La abuela contaba chistes todo el día. De tal palo, tal astilla.
It’s one of those expressions that sounds like advice from a wise aunt, a mix of humor and truth that every Spanish-speaking family loves.
📚 Keep exploring Spanish idioms
Spanish is packed with sayings that connect daily life and vivid imagery — from meter la pata (to mess up) to no tener pelos en la lengua (to speak your mind).
Learn them, use them, and you’ll sound less like a grammar book and more like someone who truly gets the language.
Here are some themed collections to keep building your idiom toolbox:
Author info
Silvia is a multilingual educator with expertise in English, French, and Spanish, and a passion for helping students excel in language learning. After gaining extensive international teaching experience in the UK and other countries, Silvia returned to her hometown of Vitoria in 2019. Since then, she has been sharing her knowledge and love for languages with learners of all levels. With over a decade of experience, Silvia’s creative and dynamic teaching methods make language acquisition both fun and accessible.