Meaning
To annoy or bother someone greatly, to be very troublesome.
Cultural Background
In Spain, this phrase is ubiquitous. You'll hear it in bars, on the street, and in casual TV shows. It's considered 'mild' slang compared to other options. Mexicans rarely use 'dar por saco'. They prefer 'dar lata' or the much more vulgar 'estar chingando'. Using 'saco' might sound like a 'Peninsular' (Spanish) affectation. In Argentina, 'hinchar las pelotas' (to swell the balls) is the common equivalent for this level of annoyance. 'Dar por saco' is understood but not used locally. Colombians might use 'dar lora' (to give parrot) to describe someone who is being annoying by talking too much, or 'fregar' for general annoyance.
Use with 'Qué'
Instead of a full sentence, just say '¡Qué por saco!' when something goes wrong. It sounds very native.
Regional Sensitivity
Stick to 'dar la lata' in Latin America until you've heard locals use 'dar por saco' first.
Meaning
To annoy or bother someone greatly, to be very troublesome.
Use with 'Qué'
Instead of a full sentence, just say '¡Qué por saco!' when something goes wrong. It sounds very native.
Regional Sensitivity
Stick to 'dar la lata' in Latin America until you've heard locals use 'dar por saco' first.
The Euphemism Rule
If you are in a situation where you wouldn't say 'damn' in English, don't use 'dar por saco' in Spanish.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct pronoun to complete the sentence.
A mi hermana ___ da por saco que use su ropa.
Since the subject is 'mi hermana' (she), we must use the third-person singular indirect object pronoun 'le'.
Fill in the missing preposition.
¡Deja de dar ___ saco, por favor!
The fixed idiom is 'dar por saco'.
Match the phrase to the most appropriate situation.
Which situation fits '¡Vete a dar por saco!'?
This is a dismissive, informal phrase used when you are fed up with someone.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the phrase.
A: ¿Qué te pasa? B: Pues que el wifi me ______ dándome por saco todo el día.
We use 'está' + gerund (dando) to describe an ongoing action.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Levels of Annoyance in Spanish
Practice Bank
4 exercisesA mi hermana ___ da por saco que use su ropa.
Since the subject is 'mi hermana' (she), we must use the third-person singular indirect object pronoun 'le'.
¡Deja de dar ___ saco, por favor!
The fixed idiom is 'dar por saco'.
Which situation fits '¡Vete a dar por saco!'?
This is a dismissive, informal phrase used when you are fed up with someone.
A: ¿Qué te pasa? B: Pues que el wifi me ______ dándome por saco todo el día.
We use 'está' + gerund (dando) to describe an ongoing action.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsIt's considered 'low-register' or slang, but not strictly vulgar. It's a euphemism, so it's safer than the original phrase but still informal.
No, it's too informal for a student-teacher relationship. Use 'molestar' or 'importunar'.
In the original vulgar phrase, it's a placeholder for the anus. In the euphemism, it's just a 'sack'.
Yes, the meaning is the same, but 'dar por saco' is stronger and more informal.
You say 'Me estás dando por saco'.
Yes, if they are currently doing something to bother you.
Rarely. Mexicans prefer other slang terms for annoyance.
Almost never. It's inherently about frustration.
Me dio por saco (It annoyed me) or Me daba por saco (It used to annoy me).
Not really, but you can say 'un por saco' to mean 'a nuisance', though it's rare.
Related Phrases
Dar la lata
synonymTo be annoying/pestering
Tocar las narices
similarTo annoy someone
Ser un pesado
builds onTo be a 'heavy' (annoying) person
Mandar a paseo
contrastTo tell someone to go for a walk (get lost)
