Estar a partir un piñón

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/es·ˈtaɾ a paɾ·ˈtiɾ un pi·ˈɲon/

To be splitting a pine nut.

Frequency

ConversationVery common

JournalismCommon

LiteraryOccasional

AcademicRare

In English

to be thick as thieves; **to be thick as thieves**; **to be very close**; **to be best buddies**; **to get on like a house on fire**; **to be joined at the hip**

Meaning

Estar a partir un piñón means to be very close, to get on extremely well, to be thick as thieves, or to be best buddies.

Examples

Desde que se conocieron están a partir un piñón.

They've been thick as thieves since they met.

Los dos hermanos están a partir un piñón.

The two brothers are very close.

Ahora están a partir un piñón, pero antes no se podían ni ver.

They're joined at the hip now, but they couldn't stand each other before.

Los dos compañeros están a partir un piñón.

The two colleagues get on extremely well.

It is normally used for people who have a very good relationship and are frequently together.

Used when

are very good friends
have an excellent relationship
work together particularly well
are inseparable
are especially close as a couple

Origin

Its power comes from a vivid, immediately understandable comparison.

The expression is generally associated with the idea of sharing and splitting a pine nut, a small object that can be opened and eaten together.

The image of two people sharing something tiny and working closely together developed into the figurative meaning of being on very good terms.

There is no solid evidence for a specific historical event behind the expression.

Cultural note

The expression normally refers to two or more people who have a particularly close relationship.

It can be used for:

friends;
relatives;
colleagues;
couples;
political or professional allies.

It is sometimes used ironically:

Ahora están a partir un piñón.

may imply that two people who previously argued are suddenly behaving as if they were best friends.

Did you know?

Spanish has many expressions describing the quality of relationships:

Estar a partir un piñón → to be very close.
Hacer buenas migas → to hit it off.
Ser uña y carne → to be inseparable.
Llevarse como el perro y el gato → to fight like cat and dog.

Among them, estar a partir un piñón is particularly colourful because the expression turns something as tiny and ordinary as a pine nut into an image of extraordinary closeness between people. ```

For English speakers

Do not translate:

Están a partir un piñón.

as:

They are splitting a pine nut.

Instead, use:

They're very close.

They're thick as thieves.

They're joined at the hip.

If the context is friendship, thick as thieves is particularly natural.