Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«Hecha la ley, hecha la trampa.»
Word for word
Made the law, made the trick.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: Every law has a loophole.
Used cynically to say that whenever a rule is created, people will find a way to circumvent it. Common in discussions about politics, bureaucracy, or regulations in Spain and Latin America.
Hear it in a sentence
Aunque prohíban el uso del móvil, hecha la ley, hecha la trampa.
Even if they ban mobile phone use, every law has a loophole.
More Spanish sayings
- Es peor el remedio que la enfermedad. — The cure is worse than the disease.
- El que tiene padrino se bautiza. — It's not what you know, it's who you know.
- Piensa mal y acertarás. — Think the worst and you'll be right.
- Con dinero baila el perro. — Money makes the world go round.
- Quien fue a Sevilla, perdió su silla. — You snooze, you lose.
Why learn dichos?
Proverbs like this one are everywhere in spoken Spanish — dropped mid-conversation, usually just the first half, with the rest left for you to complete. Recognizing them is one of the fastest ways to sound less like a textbook and follow real speech. Every Lingocito edition signs off with the dicho del día, so you meet one a day next to news written at your level.