Traérsela al pairo

not to give a damn; **not to give a damn**; **not to care at all**; **couldn't care less**; **not to give a toss** (British); **not to be bothered**

Traérsela al pairo means not to care at all, not to give a damn, to be completely indifferent, to couldn't care less, or to not be bothered in the slightest.

It expresses total lack of concern about something.

• ignores other people's opinions
• shows complete indifference
• refuses to worry about consequences
• is unconcerned by criticism
• simply does not care what happens

The expression comes from nautical language.

A ship al pairo remains almost motionless, balancing the wind and the rudder without following a particular course.

This state of remaining unaffected by external forces became a metaphor for emotional indifference.

Over time, traérsela al pairo evolved into one of the most common colloquial ways of saying that someone simply does not care.

The expression is stronger than simply saying no importar.

It usually conveys deliberate indifference and sometimes even contempt.

Because of its colloquial tone, it is especially common in spoken Spanish.

Spanish has several expressions expressing complete indifference:

• Traérsela al pairo → not to give a damn.
• Importarle un bledo → not to care in the slightest.
• Importarle un comino → not to care at all.
• Darle igual → not to mind.

Among them, traérsela al pairo is one of the most original because it preserves a centuries-old nautical metaphor that compares emotional indifference to a ship remaining unaffected by the wind while lying al pairo.

Do not translate the expression literally.

English speakers would never say:

It brings it to the hove-to position.

Instead, use expressions such as:

• He couldn't care less.
• I don't give a damn.
• She doesn't care at all.
• He's not bothered in the slightest.

Choose the translation according to the desired level of formality.