Spanish Expression · Advanced
tener la sartén por el mango
to have the upper hand
Pronunciation: te-NÉR la sar-TÉN por el MÁN-go
Meaning
To be in a position of power or control in a situation.
Example
En las negociaciones, el comprador tiene la sartén por el mango.
In the negotiations, the buyer has the upper hand.
Common mistakes & tips
- Practice tener la sartén por el mango out loud — read the pronunciation guide above and repeat.
- Use it in your own sentence today; reuse beats rereading.
- Pay attention to context: this is a advanced-level Spanish expression.