Spanish word of the day: Hacer pellas

What does hacer pellas mean?

Hacer pellas (idiomatic expression) – A common Spanish idiom used mainly in Spain that means to skip class or play truant. It refers to the act of deliberately missing school without permission, often to hang out with friends or avoid lessons.

Example sentences with hacer pellas

• Los estudiantes decidieron hacer pellas y fueron al parque.
  🏞️ The students decided to skip class and went to the park.

• No me gusta hacer pellas, prefiero ir a todas las clases.
  📚 I don’t like skipping class; I prefer to attend all lessons.

• Si haces muchas pellas, puedes tener problemas con los profesores.
  ⚠️ If you skip too many classes, you might get in trouble with the teachers.

This idiom uses the verb “hacer”. If you need to remember how to conjugate “hacer”, our conjugation tables can help with that!

Hacer pellas in context

You’ll hear hacer pellas mostly among students and teachers in Spain when talking about skipping school. It’s a casual, informal phrase that captures the idea of ditching class without a serious reason. While it’s mostly used in educational settings, it can sometimes be extended to skipping work or other responsibilities, but that’s less common.

If you want to sound natural in Spanish, use hacer pellas when talking about those moments of rebellion or laziness at school. It’s a phrase that often comes up in conversations about school life, discipline, and teenage behavior. Just be aware that it’s informal and might not be appropriate in very formal contexts.