“En el Quinto Pino” Meaning: The Madrid Way to Say “Miles Away”

This is one of my favourite expressions because it comes from my city. Ask a madrileño where the new IKEA is, and the answer will probably be: en el quinto pino.

How to use “en el quinto pino”

Spanish	English
El aeropuerto está en el quinto pino.	The airport is miles away.
¿Vives en el quinto pino? Tardas una hora en llegar.	Do you live in the middle of nowhere? It takes you an hour to get here.
Aparqué en el quinto pino.	I parked miles away.

The Madrid story behind it

The story most madrileños tell goes back to the 18th century, when a line of five pine trees was planted along what is now one of Madrid’s big avenues, the area of the Paseo de la Castellana. The first pines were close to the city; the fifth was so far out that going there was a real trip. So “the fifth pine” became the place that’s too far to bother.

Is it 100% documented? Historians argue. Does every Spaniard use it? Absolutely.

Other ways to say “really far” (some very rude)

Expression	Meaning
Muy lejos	Very far (neutral)
En el fin del mundo	At the end of the world
Donde Cristo perdió el mechero	Where Christ lost his lighter (Spain, funny)
En el quinto coño	Miles away (Spain, vulgar)
En la otra punta	At the other end (of the city, etc.)
A tomar por saco	Miles away (Spain, vulgar)

Donde Cristo perdió el mechero always makes my students laugh. The vulgar ones are very common among friends in Spain, but keep them for informal situations.

FAQ

Is “en el quinto pino” rude?

No, it’s informal and completely clean. The rude version is en el quinto coño.

Is it only used in Madrid?

It comes from Madrid, but it’s used all over Spain.

How do you say “the middle of nowhere” in Spanish?

En el quinto pino, en medio de la nada or, very informally, donde Cristo perdió el mechero.

More Spanish expressions from Spain

Part of my series on real Spanish expressions, the ones Spaniards use every day and textbooks never teach:

• Estar como una cabra
• Ponerse las pilas
• Costar un ojo de la cara
• No pasa nada
• ¡Qué fuerte!
• Estar hecho polvo
• Me importa un pepino
• Ser pan comido
• Estar en las nubes
• Tomar el pelo
• Meter la pata
• Dar la lata
• Echar una mano
• Ojalá
• Venga
• Eres la leche
• Toma tomate, tómalo

👉 See all Spanish expressions from Spain

Spanish fluency isn’t in the quinto pino

It feels far away, but it’s closer than you think if you start speaking. Download my free guide with 100 real Spanish phrases above, and if you want to know exactly what’s stopping you from speaking, book your Spanish Speaking Roadmap call below.

— Monica Bernabe Perez

Learning Spanish in Australia? I taught Spanish at UWA and now teach learners all over the country, in small groups or one-to-one: Spanish classes in Perth, Spanish lessons in Sydney and Spanish classes in Adelaide.