Example: No te metas en camisa de once varas con problemas ajenos.
Definition
"Meterse en camisa de once varas" is a Spanish idiomatic expression meaning to get involved in complicated or unnecessary problems, especially those that do not concern oneself. It warns against entangling oneself in difficult or delicate situations that could be avoided.
Translations
to complicate things unnecessarily
zich onnodig in moeilijkheden brengen
ficar-se on no toca
se compliquer la vie
sich unnötig Probleme einhandeln
Etymology
The phrase "meterse en camisa de once varas" literally translates to 'getting into a shirt of eleven yards.' Historically, 'vara' is a Spanish unit of measurement roughly 0.835 meters. The idiom humorously suggests putting oneself into an excessively large and cumbersome shirt, symbolizing unnecessary trouble or complexity. Did you know this quirky image has been used since at least the 17th century to caution against needless complications?
Learn to use this expression actively
"Meterse en camisa de once varas" appears in the Vocaplus list "Spanish - General - Modismos y refranes - (C1) - parte 1", containing 120 commonly used expressions.
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to complicate things unnecessarily