Ponerse en su piel

to put oneself in someone's shoes; **to put oneself in someone's shoes**; **to walk in someone's shoes**; **to see things from someone's point of view**; **to empathise with someone**; **to imagine being in someone's situation**

Ponerse en la piel de alguien means to empathise with someone, imagine what they are going through or see things from their point of view.

It emphasises emotional understanding rather than simple agreement.

• tries to understand another person's feelings
• encourages empathy
• judges a difficult situation fairly
• considers another person's perspective
• asks others not to judge too quickly

The expression is based on the ancient metaphor that true understanding comes from imagining oneself inside another person's body.

While English traditionally speaks of someone's shoes, Spanish chooses someone's skin, creating a more intimate image of sharing another person's experience.

The metaphor has become firmly established in modern Spanish.

Although ponerse en los zapatos de alguien is occasionally heard under English influence, native Spanish overwhelmingly prefers:

Ponerse en la piel de alguien.

The expression is widely used by teachers, psychologists, journalists and parents to encourage empathy.

Many languages use body-related metaphors to express empathy.

English says:

• Put yourself in someone's shoes.

Spanish says:

• Ponerse en la piel de alguien.

Both describe the same psychological process of imagining another person's experience, but Spanish chooses the much more intimate image of sharing someone's skin rather than simply wearing their shoes.

Do not translate the expression literally.

English speakers would never normally say:

Put yourself in his skin.

Instead, use expressions such as:

• Put yourself in his shoes.
• Walk in her shoes.
• See things from his point of view.
• Empathise with her.

The meaning is virtually identical despite the different metaphor.