Hacer castillos en el aire

to build castles in the air; **to build castles in the air**; **to daydream**; **to indulge in wishful thinking**; **to build castles in Spain** (less common today); **to dream the impossible**

Hacer castillos en el aire means to imagine unrealistic plans, dream about impossible situations or build hopes that have no solid foundation.

The expression usually carries a gentle warning not to confuse fantasy with reality.

• makes unrealistic plans
• dreams without taking practical action
• expects impossible outcomes
• imagines an ideal future without considering reality
• becomes carried away by wishful thinking

The image dates back to classical antiquity.

Greek and Latin writers already used floating castles and impossible constructions as symbols of unattainable dreams.

The metaphor spread throughout Europe and became established in many languages.

Spanish preserved the image almost unchanged.

The expression is rarely harsh.

It often conveys affectionate criticism.

Parents, teachers and friends frequently use it when encouraging someone to become more realistic without completely discouraging their ambitions.

English has preserved two closely related expressions:

• to build castles in the air
• to build castles in Spain

The second was much more common in earlier centuries and is believed to have developed because medieval Spain represented a distant, exotic and largely unattainable place for many Europeans.

Modern English overwhelmingly prefers to build castles in the air, while Spanish has always kept hacer castillos en el aire.

This is one of the few Spanish idioms with an almost identical English counterpart.

Simply translate it as:

• to build castles in the air

or, depending on the context:

• to indulge in wishful thinking
• to daydream