Ser una perita en dulce

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/seɾ ˈu·na pe·ˈɾi·ta en ˈdul·θe/

To be a sweet little pear.

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LiteraryOccasional

AcademicRare

In English

to be a very attractive proposition; **to be a very attractive proposition**; **to be a tempting opportunity**; **to be an attractive target**; **to be a plum**; **to be a juicy target**; **to be a sitting duck** — when the emphasis is on vulnerability rather than desirability; **to be a catch** — when referring to a person, especially as a romantic prospect

Meaning

Ser una perita en dulce means to be very desirable, attractive or tempting, especially because of the advantages or opportunities one offers.

Examples

Ese puesto es una perita en dulce: buen sueldo y horario flexible.

That job is a very attractive proposition: good pay and flexible hours.

Esa empresa es una perita en dulce para cualquier inversor.

That company is a plum opportunity for any investor.

Con ese patrimonio, es una perita en dulce para los abogados.

With that much wealth, he's an attractive target for lawyers.

La casa es una auténtica perita en dulce.

The house is a real gem.

Ese cliente es una perita en dulce para cualquier vendedor.

That customer is a dream client for any salesperson.

Una persona tan ingenua es una perita en dulce para los estafadores.

Someone that naive is an easy target for scammers.

Depending on context, it can describe:

a person who is particularly attractive;
an opportunity that is very tempting;
a position, job or business that is highly desirable;
someone who is an easy or valuable target.

It can therefore be positive or slightly ironic, depending on the context.

A common construction is:

Ser una perita en dulce.

→ To be a very attractive proposition / to be a tempting target.

Used when

is especially desirable
offers clear advantages
is an attractive opportunity
is likely to attract many people
is an easy or valuable target for someone

Origin

The expression comes from the image of a small pear prepared as a sweet: something attractive, pleasant and desirable.

The perita is diminutive, making the image particularly appealing. The metaphor then extended from something pleasant to something that is especially tempting or desirable.

Cultural note

The expression does not necessarily describe physical attractiveness.

For example:

Ese contrato es una perita en dulce.

does not mean that the contract is "sweet" in a literal sense. It means that the contract is an exceptionally attractive opportunity.

Similarly:

La empresa es una perita en dulce para la competencia.

means that the company is a particularly attractive target for competitors.

Did you know?

The expression can be used with a slightly darker nuance when the "sweetness" refers to vulnerability.

For example:

Para un estafador, una persona ingenua es una perita en dulce.

Here the person is not desirable because of their qualities in a positive sense; they are attractive as a target.

This makes the idiom particularly interesting: something can be a perita en dulce because it is desirable, profitable or simply too tempting to resist.

For English speakers

The English translation depends heavily on the context.

For an opportunity:

Es una perita en dulce.

→ It's a plum opportunity.

For a valuable target:

Es una perita en dulce para los inversores.

→ It's a very attractive target for investors.

For an attractive person:

Es una perita en dulce.

→ She's quite a catch.

There is therefore no single English idiom that works in every context.